Copyright timesnownews
Comet 3I/Atlas Live Tracker: The celestial object 3I/ATLAS was projected to make its closest pass of the sun, an event known as perihelion, on October 30, bringing it within 130 million miles of our star. To put that distance in perspective, Earth orbits roughly 93 million miles from the sun.According to the European Space Agency, in the time leading up to this solar approach, the object was expected to steadily shed mass. This process occurs as frozen gases on its surface transform directly into vapour, an event that ejects dust and ice particles into the surrounding space.The journey of this unusual object through our cosmic neighbourhood has captured significant public interest, fuelling widespread speculation and various conspiracy theories about its true nature.One of the most notable ideas, championed by Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, posited that 3I/ATLAS could be a piece of alien technology. Although Loeb has since written on the publishing platform Medium that the object is "most likely a comet of natural origin," he has not entirely dismissed the possibility that it could be an artificial construct.The comet is anticipated to become visible again around November 11, appearing in the eastern sky before dawn. However, hopeful skywatchers will need powerful equipment to see it. Spotting 3I/ATLAS will require a large telescope, at least 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter.
