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On December 19, it will pass about 270 million kilometers from Earth, nearly 700 times the average distance between our planet and the Moon. Astronomers believe that within a few days, the most powerful telescopes will be able to monitor it to better understand its composition. But because of its distance, it will be impossible to see it with the naked eye in the sky.
How to follow the 3I/Atlas path
So far, the comet has been behaving steadily, and everything indicates that this will remain the same as it passes through the solar system. This means that anyone can track its path in real time, even without observing it directly with a telescope.
Websites like Sky Live Provide continuous monitoring of 3I/Atlas. It shows the comet’s distance from Earth at all times, as well as the constellation closest to it. It also forecasts its coordinates for the next few weeks, giving observers time to prepare. Other sites like 3Iatlaslive, Use NASA data to create 2D maps showing its path.
You can also find a live stream on YouTube showing the comet’s passage through the solar system in real time. In fact, these radio programs come from A Simulation created by NASA As part of the Eyes on the Solar System project. It’s free to explore, though the agency itself has been affected by the ongoing US government shutdown.
The story originally appeared on WIRED in Spanish It was translated from Spanish.