Watch the Interstellar Visitor 3I/ATLAS Live Tonight at 11:15 PM ET

The Virtual Telescope Project will livestream the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS tonight at 11:15 PM ET. This celestial body, first identified four months ago, will be visible moving through the Virgo constellation in the eastern sky. The event offers a unique opportunity for viewers worldwide, as this comet’s brightness is too dim (magnitude +10.9) for the naked eye.

NASA is set to release high-resolution images of 3I/ATLAS captured by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s HiRISE camera in early October. This release has generated considerable excitement, particularly given the ongoing speculation about the object’s origin and characteristics. As the third confirmed interstellar object to pass through our solar system, 3I/ATLAS has attracted significant interest from scientists and experts.

Speculation Surrounds the Interstellar Comet

The approach of 3I/ATLAS to planets like Jupiter, Venus, and Mars last month intensified discussions about its nature. Some individuals, including Elon Musk, have even suggested that an object of this size could potentially cause catastrophic damage, possibly obliterating an entire continent.

Astrophysicist Avi Loeb is among those who have proposed that this object might be an alien spacecraft. He expressed concern over the delayed release of images, criticizing what he views as governmental inefficiency. Loeb stated, “Science should have been prioritized over bureaucracy,” emphasizing that the truth about 3I/ATLAS will emerge from the sharing of data rather than through controlled narratives.

The livestream event will take place from Manciano, Italy, where a series of telescopes will be set up to capture the comet’s details. This initiative underscores the growing interest in interstellar objects and the ongoing quest for understanding what lies beyond our solar system.

As the world tunes in to observe 3I/ATLAS, the intersection of science, speculation, and public interest highlights the profound curiosity surrounding our universe. The live event promises to be not only an educational spectacle but also a pivotal moment in the ongoing exploration of outer space.