3I/ATLAS live stream: Here is where to see the comet as it comes near Earth

3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar comet seen in our solar system, will make its closest approach to Earth on December 19. However, it isn't coming that close, and will be 270 million kilometres away. That is nearly twice the average distance between Earth and the sun. But it is still a prominent occurrence for astronomers who have been waiting for the comet to reach this point. Over the past few weeks, 3I/ATLAS has displayed a spectacular show, as astronomers across the world saw it on their telescopes and astrophotographers captured images of the mysterious visitor before it leaves forever. If you are also interested in watching the alien comet, here are some ways to do it.

3I/ATLAS live stream

You might be able to see 3I/ATLAS with your telescopes, although only one that is 8 inches or larger can spot it. Even then, it will appear as a faint and fuzzy ball of light. But if you want to see it in real-time, check out the Virtual Telescope Project page, as it will host a free livestream starting at 11 pm EST on December 18, or 9:30 am IST on December 19. It will be sharing real-time telescope views of comet 3I/ATLAS from its observatories in Manciano, Italy.

See 3I/ATLAS live here

The Virtual Telescope Project page hosted a live-stream of 3I/ATLAS in November as well. This would be the best way to see the visitor before it disappears forever. After rendezvousing with Earth, 3I/ATLAS will start to make its way out of the solar system. But it will remain visible for some more time, and is also set to fly by Jupiter on March 16, 2026. This would be when NASA's Juno spacecraft, orbiting Jupiter, would be able to observe the comet.

The European Space Agency's Juice probe has already scanned 3I/ATLAS and sent back partial data a few weeks ago. A photo of the comet was released earlier this month, showing a glowing halo of gas and dust. Its entire observations will reach Earth only by February, as it is using its main high-gain antenna to protect itself from the Sun's heat and radiation.