3i/atlas, however, brightened way faster than anticipated I watched scientists view the interstellar comet 3i/atlas in real time. Interstellar comet 3i/atlas is briefly out of view as it travels around the sun this week, but researchers and amateur astronomers used spacecraft data to track its progress right up until perihelion. The observations also revealed that the comet appears distinctly bluer than sunlight, a telltale sign that gases, rather than just dust, are contributing substantially to its visible brightness Earlier observations had found the comet's dust to be reddish, making this blue shift particularly noteworthy. An interstellar comet that originated outside our solar system has just made its closest pass to the sun, brightening dramatically and rapidly as it did so
The reason for the sudden extreme. The interstellar comet 3i/atlas showed a sharp increase in brightness and also changed color The reason for this sudden activity remains a mystery to scientists. How bright is comet 3i/atlas The current visual magnitude of comet 3i/atlas is 14.68 Given its brightness, comet 3i/atlas should be visible with the help of a telescope having an aperture of 20 inches (500mm) or more.
