The Anti-Tail of 3I/ATLAS Turned to a Tail NEW
Avi Loeb / Medium
Read article →Overview
3I/ATLAS is the third confirmed interstellar object to pass through our Solar System, discovered on July 1, 2025, by the NASA-funded ATLAS telescope in Río Hurtado, Chile. This ancient visitor from beyond our solar system offers scientists a rare opportunity to study material from another star system. [NASA]
Closest to Sun
October 29, 2025Closest to Earth
~1.8 AU minimum distanceObservation Window
Peak visibility periodAnalytics Dashboard
Real-time data visualization and comparative analysis of 3I/ATLAS with other celestial objects
Current Distance from Sun
Live Data
Current Velocity
Live Data
Visual Magnitude
Estimated
Distance from Earth
Live Data
Distance from Earth Over Time
Speed Comparison
Orbital Eccentricity Comparison
Composition Analysis
Trajectory Path (AU from Sun)
Visual Magnitude Over Time
Interstellar Visitor Comparison
Solar Radiation Intensity
Solar flux (W/m²) drives sublimation and activity (Inverse Square Law)
Velocity Evolution
Speed changes due to gravitational acceleration near the Sun (Kepler's Laws)
Current Distance from Sun
Current Velocity
Days Until Perihelion
Size Comparison of Interstellar Objects
Coma Size Evolution
Gas cloud expansion driven by sublimation
Gravitational Energy
Energy exchange in hyperbolic orbit
Temperature & Solar Heating Analysis
Visualizing how solar heating affects 3I/ATLAS's surface temperature and activity as it approaches perihelion
Estimated Surface Temperature vs Distance from Sun
Temperature estimates based on blackbody radiation model. Actual surface temperature may vary based on albedo, composition, and rotation.
Gas Production Rates (H₂O, CO₂, CO)
Gas production calculated using sublimation physics. CO₂ dominates at large distances (sublimates at 20K), while H₂O requires higher temperatures (170K) and peaks near perihelion. Production scales with solar flux (∝ 1/r²⁻³).
At Discovery (3.2 AU)
~155 K
(-118°C / -180°F)
Low activity, minimal sublimationAt Perihelion (1.36 AU)
~238 K
(-35°C / -31°F)
Peak activity, maximum sublimationSublimation Zone
~183-238 K
Water ice actively sublimates
Distance: 1.36 - 2.3 AU from SunCO₂ Dominance
8:1 ratio
CO₂ to H₂O production
One of highest ratios ever observedInteractive Solar System View
Real-time 2D view of 3I/ATLAS's hyperbolic trajectory through our solar system (view from above)
Note: This visualization is an approximation for educational purposes only. Distances, sizes, and orbital paths are not to scale and are simplified for clarity.
Oct 23, 2025
Sun
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
3I/ATLAS
Current Positions
3I/ATLAS:
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Distance from Sun:
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Distance from Earth:
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Discovery & Timeline
June 14, 2025
Pre-discovery observations captured [NASA]
July 1, 2025
Official discovery by ATLAS telescope, Chile [NASA]
October 3, 2025
Closest approach to Mars [NASA]
October 29, 2025
Perihelion - Closest approach to the Sun (~1.36-1.4 AU) [NASA] [Wikipedia]
Name Breakdown: "3" indicates it's the third known interstellar object, "I" means interstellar, and "ATLAS" refers to the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System discovery telescope. [NASA]
Physical Characteristics
Size & Structure
- Nucleus diameter: 0.44 - 5.6 km [NASA]
- Type: Active interstellar object with visible coma and tail [ESA]
- Orbital eccentricity: 6.14±0.001 (highest of all known interstellar objects) [Wikipedia]
Composition
- Primary component: Unusually rich in carbon dioxide [Wikipedia]
- Water: Water vapor detected by Swift telescope [NASA Space News]
- Other gases: Carbon monoxide [ESA]
- Activity: Releasing gases as it approaches the Sun [ESA]
Origin & Age
3I/ATLAS likely originated from the Milky Way's thick disk and is estimated to be between 7.6 and 14 billion years old - potentially older than our Solar System itself. Scientists cannot trace it back to its original parent star, adding to its mystery. [Wikipedia]
Real-Time Position & Orbit Tracking
Track the current position of 3I/ATLAS in real-time using official NASA/JPL data and interactive 3D visualizations.
NASA JPL Orbit Viewer
Official NASA orbit visualization tool showing 3I/ATLAS trajectory through the solar system.
Launch NASA Orbit Viewer Note: Search for "3I" or "C/2025 N1" in the small body fieldTheSkyLive 3D Tracker
Interactive 3D solar system view with real-time position data from JPL Horizons.
Open 3D Tracker Real-time updates using official ephemeris dataLive Position Data
Current coordinates, distance, and speed from TheSkyLive's real-time tracker.
View Live Data Updated using JPL Horizons ephemeris serviceScientific Observations
Observing Missions
NASA Missions [NASA]
- Hubble Space Telescope
- James Webb Space Telescope
- Swift UV Telescope
- SPHEREx
- Mars rovers and orbiters
ESA Missions [ESA]
- Mars Express
- ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter
- Juice spacecraft
Key Scientific Findings
- Water detected by Swift telescope [NASA Space News]
- Displays "extreme negative polarization" - unusual behavior [NewsBreak]
- Closest observations captured by ESA's Mars orbiters during Mars flyby [ESA]
- Provides insights into interstellar object composition and star system formation
⚠ Safety Notice: 3I/ATLAS poses absolutely no threat to Earth. Its closest approach will be approximately 1.8 AU (about 170 million miles / 270 million kilometers) from our planet. [NASA]
Latest News & Articles
A Sunward Jet from 3I/ATLAS Imaged by the Two-Meter Twin Telescope
Avi Loeb / Medium
Read article →ESA's ExoMars and Mars Express observe comet 3I/ATLAS
European Space Agency
Read article →These robots on Mars and Jupiter are capturing images of comet 3I/ATLAS
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Read article →New Images of Nickel and Cyanide Around 3I/ATLAS from the Keck Telescope
Avi Loeb / Medium
Read article →Comet or alien spaceship? An astrophysicist explains what we know about interstellar traveler 3I/Atlas
Northeastern University
Read article →Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is losing water 'like a fire hose'
Live Science
Read article →Swift's UV Telescope Reveals Water in Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS
NASA Space News
Read article →Astronomers catch rare glimpse of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS
ABC News
Read article →European Mars orbiter spies interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS
Space.com
Read article →Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS carries water across the stars
Earth.com
Read article →Interstellar comet passing by Mars seen in rare images
CBS News
Read article →Image Gallery
Observations from space telescopes and Mars orbiters capturing 3I/ATLAS's journey through our solar system
Images courtesy of NASA, ESA, and participating observatories. Click images to view full resolution. All observations show 3I/ATLAS at different stages of its journey through the inner solar system.
Official Resources & Links
Official Space Agencies
Data Sources & API
Real-Time Data Sources
All real-time orbital data and statistics displayed on this website are calculated using official data from:
- JPL Horizons System - NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory provides highly accurate ephemeris data for solar system objects. Our calculations are based on orbital elements from this system.
→ Visit JPL Horizons System
→ API Documentation - Minor Planet Center (MPC) - The International Astronomical Union's clearinghouse for observations of asteroids, comets, and natural satellites.
→ Visit Minor Planet Center - TheSkyLive.com - Aggregates real-time astronomical data from JPL Horizons and MPC for visualization.
→ 3I/ATLAS Live Tracker
Data Update Frequency: Real-time statistics are recalculated every 5 minutes based on current date/time and latest orbital elements. Historical uptime of data sources exceeds 99.9%.
Fascinating Facts
1st
First interstellar object detected with water by NASA's Swift telescope
3rd
Third confirmed interstellar object ever discovered (after 1I/ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov)