After weeks hidden behind the Sun, interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has returned to view -- an icy traveler from another star system now gliding across Earth's skies. This ancient wanderer, roughly the size of Manhattan, has emerged from its solar encounter brighter and more active than before, inviting skywatchers to take part in a rare celestial event.
Astronomers confirmed the comet's reappearance after its November 1st photograph, captured by Yicheng Zhang at the Lowell Observatory, ignited excitement across the astronomy community. With Earth now moving toward the comet's path as it drifts away from the Sun, the next few weeks will offer the best opportunity to catch a glimpse of this interstellar relic -- believed to have formed nearly 7 billion years ago, long before our Solar System existed.
So, how can you spot it?
3I/ATLAS will rise about two hours before sunrise, glowing faintly near Venus and the bright star Spica in the constellation Virgo. Its brightness, reportedly estimated at magnitude 10, means it won't be visible to the naked eye -- but a small telescope or a pair of high-powered binoculars should do the trick. For newcomers to stargazing, apps like SkySafari, Stellarium, or Sky Tonight can help locate its position with precision.
Unlike dramatic comets of the past, 3I/ATLAS is subtle -- a fuzzy dot rather than a blazing tail -- but its origin makes it extraordinary. This is a fragment of alien ice, drifting through our Solar System for the first and last time before vanishing back into the galactic dark.
Amateur astronomers are encouraged to join the SETI Institute's Unistellar network, where thousands of citizen observers are contributing real-time data to study the comet's composition and motion.
Catch it while you can -- before this cosmic ghost slips back into the void. ALSO READ|
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