Where is Comet 3I/ATLAS? How to Track Live Path of the Interstellar Comet
While interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS is no longer visible to the naked eye or even typical backyard telescopes, its journey is far from over for researchers. The object is expected to remain visible to powerful instruments like Hubble and JWST for several more months.
Just as astronomers thought the third known interstellar visitor, 3I/ATLAS, was quietly exiting our celestial neighbourhood, the enigmatic object has delivered a parting surprise. New live images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope on January 7, 2026, show the comet displaying a perplexing "anti-tail", a triple-jet structure extending toward the Sun rather than away from it. This defiance of typical cometary physics has reignited intense debate within the scientific community about the true nature of this deep-space traveller.
3I/ATLAS Mystery Deepens: New Hubble Images Reveal Bizarre "Anti-Tail" as Interstellar Comet Departs
Comets typically exhibit tails that stream away from the Sun, driven by solar wind and radiation pressure that push gas and dust outward. However, the latest Hubble observations of 3I/ATLAS reveal a structure extending roughly 170,000 miles (270,000 kilometres) in the sunward direction.
"Usually, the elongated feature around comets is oriented away from the Sun," noted Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, who has frequently challenged conventional explanations for interstellar objects. The persistence of this sunward jet, which cannot be easily explained as an optical illusion or projection effect, suggests that 3I/ATLAS may be rotating in a highly unusual manner or venting material from a distinct, localised source on its surface. While the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) maintains the object is a natural comet rich in carbon dioxide, the anomaly has fueled speculation and fringe theories about potential artificial origins or exotic composition. Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS May Be the Oldest Observed, Scientists Evaluate Natural Explanations for Alien Signal Reports.
A Brief but Historic Visit of 3I/ATLAS
Discovered on July 1, 2025, by the ATLAS survey in Chile, 3I/ATLAS became only the third confirmed object to enter our solar system from interstellar space, following 'Oumuamua (2017) and 2I/Borisov (2019). Unlike its predecessors, 3I/ATLAS offered scientists a relatively long observation window.
The comet reached its perihelion (closest point to the Sun) on October 29, 2025, and made a harmless flyby of Earth on December 19, 2025, passing at a safe distance of approximately 168 million miles (270 million kilometres). During its journey, it was scrutinised by nearly every major telescope, including the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which captured its green-hued coma and unusual chemical signature.
How to Track the Live Path of 3I/ATLAS
For skywatchers and enthusiasts wishing to follow the comet's exit virtually, physical observation is now reserved for professional observatories. However, digital tools offer a real-time window into its location:
NASA's Eyes on the Solar System: This free web-based app allows users to visualise the 3D position of 3I/ATLAS relative to the planets. You can fast-forward and rewind time to see its flyby and live current exit path.
Mobile Astronomy Apps and Where is 3I/ATLAS Now Trackers: Apps like Stellarium, Sky Tonight, or Star Walk 2 have updated databases, including 3I/ATLAS tracker. By using the search function, you can locate its precise coordinates (Right Ascension and Declination) in the night sky, even if you cannot see it through a lens.
The Virtual Telescope Project: Online observatories often host live streams or archive footage of fading comets. Checking their schedules may provide one last visual glimpse of the visitor.
Where is 3I/ATLAS Now?
As of mid-January 2026, 3I/ATLAS is speeding away from Earth on a hyperbolic trajectory that will eventually take it back into the depths of interstellar space, never to return. It is currently located beyond the orbit of Mars, rapidly fading in brightness as its distance from the Sun increases.
While it is no longer visible to the naked eye or even typical backyard telescopes, its journey is far from over for researchers. The object is expected to remain visible to powerful instruments like Hubble and JWST for several more months, allowing scientists to track its deceleration and spectral shifts as it returns to the freezing void.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 10, 2026 02:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).