What's Happening?
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is making its closest approach to Earth on December 19. Discovered on July 1 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), this comet is the third known interstellar visitor to our solar system. At its closest,
3I/ATLAS will be 170 million miles from Earth, making it invisible to the naked eye. However, it can be tracked using various resources, including NASA's Eyes on the Solar System and the Comet Observation Database. The comet's trajectory will take it past Mars and towards Jupiter by March 2026. A livestream by the Virtual Telescope Project will provide real-time images of the comet.
Why It's Important?
The approach of 3I/ATLAS offers a rare opportunity to study an interstellar object, providing insights into the composition and behavior of comets from outside our solar system. Understanding such objects can enhance our knowledge of the materials and processes that exist in other star systems. This event also highlights the capabilities of modern astronomical tools and collaborations, which allow scientists and the public to observe and learn from celestial phenomena that were previously inaccessible.
