NASA is preparing to showcase new imagery of the interstellar comet 3I ATLAS, offering the public a closer look at one of the rarest visitors to our solar system. The comet, which was discovered by the ATLAS observatory earlier this year, is only the third confirmed object to enter our solar system from elsewhere in the Milky Way. Although it poses no risk to Earth, its journey has brought it close enough for multiple NASA missions to observe it in detail. The agency will share these findings during a live event streamed across its major platforms, where scientists will explain how spacecraft and ground based observatories captured the comet’s behaviour as it travelled through our cosmic neighbourhood.
NASA set to reveal new imagery of rare interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS live
According to NASA Solar System on X (formerly Twitter), NASA is set to unveil remarkable new imagery of the interstellar comet known as 3I/ATLAS during a live event scheduled for 3 pm EST on Wednesday, 19 November. The broadcast will originate from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and will showcase visual data gathered by several of the agency’s space and ground missions. The event is expected to provide fresh scientific insights into one of the rarest types of objects to enter our solar system.
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS live event: How to watch and participate
The live event will be broadcast across multiple platforms to ensure global accessibility. NASA+ and the NASA mobile application will carry the stream, alongside the agency’s official website, YouTube channel and Amazon Prime. The broadcast aims to provide an engaging and informative look at the comet’s characteristics while also answering questions submitted by viewers.Members of the media are invited to take part by using the hashtag AskNASA on social media. Questions may be selected and answered during the event. Journalists who wish to attend virtually must send their name, professional affiliation, email address and phone number at least two hours before the event begins.
Key contributors participating in the briefing
Several senior NASA leaders will take part in the briefing to explain the imagery and its scientific importance.
- Amit Kshatriya, NASA Associate Administrator, will participate and provide high level context on the agency’s role in the mission.
- Nicky Fox, head of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, will discuss the scientific goals connected to observing 3I ATLAS.
- Shawn Domagal Goldman, acting director of the Astrophysics Division, will explain how interstellar comets expand our understanding of the wider cosmos.
- Tom Statler, lead scientist for solar system small bodies, will outline why 3I ATLAS is unique compared with typical comets.
Their combined expertise will help viewers understand how interstellar objects differ from local comets and why studying them advances knowledge of planetary formation and galactic evolution.
Understanding the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS
Interstellar comets like 3I/ATLAS provide a glimpse into conditions far beyond our own cosmic neighbourhood. Since they originate in other planetary systems, their composition can reveal clues about environments where stars and planets formed under different circumstances. The movement, brightness and the way their materials react to sunlight help astronomers compare them to comets native to our solar system.These comparisons may shed light on whether processes like planet formation and chemical evolution occur similarly throughout the galaxy. Each interstellar visitor therefore serves as a natural sample returned from distant regions that humans cannot yet explore directly.
3I/ATLAS live event common FAQs
What makes 3I/ATLAS an interstellar cometIt originated outside our solar system, travelling through the galaxy before passing into our celestial neighbourhood.Does the comet pose any danger to EarthNo. Its closest approach keeps it extremely far from Earth and it carries no threat.How can the public submit questions for the eventViewers can post questions on social media using the hashtag AskNASA.Why is NASA interested in studying interstellar cometsThey contain material formed in other planetary systems which helps scientists compare conditions across the galaxy.Where will the live broadcast be availableThe event will stream on NASA+, the NASA app, the agency’s website, its YouTube channel and Amazon Prime.
