Comet 3I/ATLAS will make its closest approach to Earth this week, i.e. its closest point to our planet while passing through the solar system.
The meeting will take place Friday, December 19but this does not mean that the object will be literally “close” or that we could see it with the human eye. Here we explain what will happen.
How far will 3I/ATLAS go?
Recall that 3I/ATLAS is an interstellar object, which means comes from beyond our cosmic neighborhoodmaking it only the third comet of its type discovered by mankind.
Now, although it will travel several astronomical units (AU), it is quite a few kilometers.
According to NASA, On Friday, it will be about 1.8 AU, which is about 270 million kilometers from Earth.
It will then continue on its way through the solar system until it disappears into open space, and we will never be able to see it again, since its orbit is not periodic.
How can I monitor it in real time?
Comet It cannot be seen with the naked eye, but can be seen in telescopes, even small ones.. According to NASA, the perfect time to see it just before dawn. In addition, it will be possible to observe it until the spring of 2026.
To track this in real time, you can do so on the Eyes on the Solar System platform, where you can see the location of several objects in the Solar System, as well as some of the ships that explore it.
This comet has caused great consternation in the astronomical community ever since showed unprecedented characteristics compared to other comets already known.
Likewise, it was very mediative because Your visit is a unique opportunity to observe interstellar objects and will go down in history as one of the most unique.
Follow Comet 3I/ATLAS here.
