Tonight, January 22, 2026, astronomy enthusiasts are invited to witness the last public online observation of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS at opposition. This event is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. EST (2330 GMT) and will be streamed live by the Virtual Telescope Project, showcasing views of the comet captured by robotic telescopes located in Manciano, Italy.
As 3I/ATLAS reaches opposition, it will be positioned directly opposite the sun in Earth’s sky, making it an optimal time for observation when solar system objects are typically at their brightest. Unfortunately, comet 3I/ATLAS is expected to be quite faint, with a predicted magnitude of +13.2, as reported by the Comet Observation Database (COBS) from the Crni Vrh Observatory in Slovenia. Such a magnitude means it cannot be seen with the naked eye and will require large telescopes for detection.
Discovered on July 1, 2025, by astronomers involved in the NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) project, 3I/ATLAS is just the third interstellar object documented to pass through our solar system, following 1I/’Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. The comet made its closest approach to the sun on October 31, 2025, and then passed by Earth on December 19, 2025. It is scheduled for a significant flyby of Jupiter in March this year, at a distance of 33.4 million miles (53.7 million kilometers), before embarking on its trajectory out of the solar system, never to return.
While this may be the final opportunity to witness 3I/ATLAS, the event serves to remind us of the fleeting beauty of celestial phenomena and the importance of ongoing astronomical observation efforts. The live stream promises to be a highlight for both amateur and professional astronomers alike, fostering a sense of community and wonder around the cosmos.