Where is interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS now? Current position and visibility
The end of December 2025 is almost here, and the astronomical community is still tracing the third known interstellar object, comet 3I/ATLAS. The comet just made its way past Earth in its closest approach on December 19, 2025. It is now on its way into interstellar space, a long journey that will bring it close to Jupiter in around 79 days, as per a study conducted by Harvard professors. The comet is currently at a magnitude of 10.9, traveling at a speed of around 111,636 miles per hour. 3I/ATLAS is currently in the constellation of Leo with a Right Ascension of 10h 12m 32s and a Declination of +09° 49’ 24”, according to The Sky Live.
The comet has a hyperbolic trajectory, which means that it is not gravitationally bound to our Sun. During its encounter with Jupiter, however, missions like Juno will be of service in capturing some interesting shots of the interstellar object. Since its arrival in 2016, Juno has been studying the dense clouds around Jupiter, becoming the first orbiter to get so close to the gas giant.
The comet is expected to lose its visibility and brightness the further it gets, and by late spring 2026, it will become too faint even for professional ground-based telescopes to track. The current magnitude of 10 to 12 is unfavorable, and it is required to be at a magnitude of +6 or brighter to be visible to the naked eye. Observers who still want to catch a glimpse of the interstellar visitor can use a telescope of 8 inches or more to perhaps spot a faint, fuzzy patch of light, if the skies are dark, as per Space.com. Even that will be possible only if observers are able to get away from light pollution and are able to find a particularly dark patch of the sky. Of course, the weather will also have to be favorable.
Several images of the interstellar comet have managed to capture it at various points in its journey, most of them showing a “blob.” However, certain images revealed the activity in the comet’s tail, which increased as it got closer to the Sun. The Sun's heat caused the sublimation of the contents of the nucleus, which, in turn, resulted in the formation of a cloud of gas an dust around it.
Since its discovery on July 1, 2025, comet 3I/ATLAS has occupied a significant space in the media. From discussions of it being billions of years older than our system, the nature of its contents, and what they might reveal about the world beyond our solar system, scientists are having fun with the visitor. Space agencies across the world, including NASA and the ESA, are dedicated to catching a glimpse of the comet whenever they can. As we approach the year 2026, we will soon bid goodbye to the visitor.
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