NASA’s live today shows unprecedented information about the third interstellar comet 3I/Atlas: where to watch it live
This Wednesday (19), at 5pm (Brasília time), Nasa will host a live broadcast with never-before-seen images of the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas. Os records were obtained between October 2 and 3, when the object passed close to Marte and was captured by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter probe (MRO). The event occurs in Centro of Voos Espaciais Goddard, in Maryland, in Estados Unidos.
Agency experts will present analyzes of the characteristics of the comet, classified as the third interstellar object ever identified. As images remained unpublished for more than 40 days due to the American government shutdown that lasted 43 days and affected Nasa operations.
How to follow the broadcast
The live will be shown on Nasa’s official YouTube channels, on the agency’s website and on social media. No prior registration is required.
The content includes scientific explanations about the behavior of 3I/Atlas after perihelion, the point of closest approximation to Sol. The broadcast is expected to last one hour.
Records obtained near Marte
The MRO probe captured the images when the comet was about 80 million kilometers from Terra. Os data shows details of the object’s coma and tail.
The photographs were stored without complete analysis during the period of interruption of American federal services. The disclosure takes place after the completion of initial studies by the Goddard team.
Features of 3I/Atlas
The comet was discovered on July 12, 2025 by the Atlas system, in Havaí. Sua hyperbolic trajectory confirms origin outside of Sistema Solar.
- Current speed exceeds 65 km/s
- Estimated core diameter varies between 1 and 4 kilometers
- Composition presents high levels of carbon monoxide
The object is the third confirmed interstellar, after 1I/’Oumuamua (2017) and 2I/Borisov (2019).
Changes observed after perihelion
3I/Atlas reached perihelion on October 28, 1.4 astronomical units from Sol. Após passage, there was an increase in brightness and a change in the color of the coma.
Astronomers detected non-gravitational acceleration, a common phenomenon in comets rich in volatile gases. As variations have reignited debates in the scientific community about the exact composition of the nucleus.
Observation technical data
The approach to Marte occurred at 0.52 astronomical units from the red planet. MRO used the HiRISE camera for high-resolution recordings.
The images show an asymmetric structure in the tail, possibly caused by jets of material expelled from the core. Os raw files will be made available to the public after the live.
The transmission marks the first official release of detailed 3I/Atlas data collected by American instruments in Martian orbit. The comet is now heading towards interstellar space, definitively moving away from Sol.
