How to follow the path of the 3I/Atlas comet

On December 19, it will pass about 270 million kilometers from Earth, almost 700 times the average distance between our planet and the Moon. Astronomers believe that for a few days the most powerful telescopes will be able to observe it to better understand its composition. However, due to its distance, it would be impossible to see it in the sky with the naked eye.

How you can follow the 3I/Atlas route

So far, the comet has behaved steadily, and everything indicates that this will continue as it passes through the Solar System. This means that anyone can track its path in real time, even without directly observing it with a telescope.

Websites like living sky Provide continuous 3I/Atlas monitoring. It always shows the comet’s distance from Earth, as well as the constellation that is closest to it. It also predicts its coordinates for the next few weeks, giving observers time to prepare. Other sites like 3.Atlaslive, Use NASA data to generate 2D maps showing its path.

You can also find live broadcasts on YouTube that show the comet’s passage through the solar system for real. In fact, these broadcasts come from a simulator created by NASA as part of the Eyes of the Solar System project. You can explore it for free, even though the agency itself is affected by the ongoing US government shutdown.

This story originally appeared on WIRED en Español and has been translated from Spanish.