Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is getting ready to disappear from our view. In the coming days, Earth and this comet will be on opposite sides of the Sun. As the glare of our star intensifies, it will hide the dim comet from sight.
Right now, 3I/ATLAS is several degrees away from the Sun, setting an hour later than our star. This is the best time to catch a glimpse of it. But it’s faint and small, sitting around Mars’ orbit. Soon, it will get closer to the Sun, peaking in late October.
Interestingly, 3I/ATLAS won’t come very close to the Sun, at least not by comet standards. Its perihelion, or closest approach, will be on October 29, at a distance of 202 million kilometers (about 126 million miles). Earth will miss witnessing the comet in its most active phase, which is a little disappointing.
This comet is notably different from the other two known interstellar visitors. Comparatively, 3I/ATLAS is moving almost twice as fast as 1I/’Oumuamua, discovered in 2017, and 2I/Borisov, found in 2019. It’s also larger and likely originates from the thicker disk of the Milky Way, offering a unique perspective on such interstellar objects.
Recent studies hint at a color change in 3I/ATLAS, sparking intrigue around what this could reveal about its composition and behavior. This information can deepen our understanding of similar celestial bodies and how they form.
You’ll have another chance to see this comet in late November. It will be about 268 million kilometers (167 million miles) away from Earth then. While that’s not incredibly close, it’s still exciting to think about what we might learn from this fascinating object over time.
To explore more about the comet, you can check out NASA’s article on interstellar comets.
