Global Campaign Mobilizes Over 80 Observatories to Precisely Measure the Trajectory of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Before Its Closest Approach to Earth on December 19, Coordinated by the UN and NASA

Written by Noel Budeguer

Published on 15/12/2025 at 15:00

ONU, NASA e cientistas cidadãos se unem em uma campanha inédita: o 3I/ATLAS é o primeiro objeto interestelar acompanhado desde o início do programa, em 2017, e servirá para treinar técnicas que melhorem previsões e sistemas de alerta

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Global Campaign Brings Together More Than 80 Observatories to Accurately Measure the Trajectory of 3I/ATLAS and Enhance Response to Future Interstellar Visitors

The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is being closely monitored as it prepares for its closest approach to Earth on December 19.

In addition to space agencies, the UN is also participating in monitoring through the International Asteroid Warning Network, an initiative focused on observations and measurements of near-Earth objects.

What Happened and Why It Gathered Attention

The 3I/ATLAS is set to pass about 270 million kilometers from the planet, which is why it has come onto the radar of telescopes in various parts of the world.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

How the UN and NASA Networks Are Monitoring 3I/ATLAS

The observation campaign for 3I/ATLAS is approximately halfway, with expectations for publication of results in a peer-reviewed journal next year.

Researcher James Bauer from the University of Maryland explained that the network consists of more than 80 observatories and participants around the world.

Bauer also stated that NASA coordinates the IAWN and the observation campaigns, and that 3I/ATLAS is the first interstellar object monitored since the start of these efforts in 2017.

Trajectory of the interstellar comet **3I/ATLAS** in the Solar System, with the flyby path highlighted in relation to the orbits of **Earth**, **Mars**, and **Jupiter**, with the **Sun** at the center

Why Tracking Comets Is So Difficult

Accurately measuring a comet’s position is challenging because its brightness can vary and the coma, a cloud of gas and dust around the nucleus, changes as the object approaches the Sun.

As this structure grows and transforms, the comet can appear larger in the sky, making it difficult to locate its exact position.

This type of measurement is known as astrometry, a method for accurately calculating where an object is in the sky to estimate its trajectory.

The New Astrometric Technique and What It Can Enable

The campaign also serves to test a new astrometric technique aimed at mapping the trajectory of 3I/ATLAS more efficiently.

The idea is to strengthen the technical capabilities of the community to measure the celestial position of asteroids and comets.

This advancement could help assess, in the future, how it might be possible to send a spacecraft to a similar comet based on more accurately defined trajectories.

The Planning of the Campaign and the Fortuitous Arrival of 3I/ATLAS

The network had been planning an observation campaign like this since October 2024, and 3I/ATLAS ended up arriving as an unexpected opportunity.

The comet was first spotted at the end of June, and its approach coincided with the already planned observation schedule.

As the object was visible from participating observatories and sparked great interest, the choice seemed natural for the ongoing campaign.

What 3I/ATLAS Reveals About Comets and Their Composition

Even though it originated outside the solar system, 3I/ATLAS exhibits behavior considered quite typical for a comet.

Bauer described the object as a very typical example, with components like water and carbon dioxide behaving similarly to what is observed in common solar system comets.

This characteristic aids researchers because it reduces some of the uncertainties when measuring and interpreting the changes observed along the way.

Global Participation and What May Happen From Now On

The community’s interest has grown throughout the campaign, with participation from observatories of various sizes as well as citizen scientists.

At the campaign launch meeting in October, the number of participants reached 171, and the mid-campaign teleconference, held on December 9, gathered 100 participants.

Bauer highlighted that many questions revolve around how to use the tools and what the appropriate format is for observing and reporting results, an effort that helps refine the ability to monitor near-Earth objects.

The monitoring of 3I/ATLAS demonstrates how coordination between the UN and NASA can enhance the accuracy of measurements and better prepare the community for new interstellar visitors.

With the approach slated for December 19, the focus remains on improving the quality of observations and strengthening the database that supports future predictions and responses.

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Global Campaign Mobilizes Over 80 Observatories to Precisely Measure the Trajectory of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Before Its Closest Approach to Earth on December 19, Coordinated by the UN and NASA

Global Campaign Brings Together More Than 80 Observatories to Accurately Measure the Trajectory of 3I/ATLAS and Enhance Response to Future Interstellar Visitors

What Happened and Why It Gathered Attention

How the UN and NASA Networks Are Monitoring 3I/ATLAS

Why Tracking Comets Is So Difficult

The New Astrometric Technique and What It Can Enable

The Planning of the Campaign and the Fortuitous Arrival of 3I/ATLAS

What 3I/ATLAS Reveals About Comets and Their Composition

Global Participation and What May Happen From Now On

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Global Campaign Mobilizes Over 80 Observatories to Precisely Measure the Trajectory of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Before Its Closest Approach to Earth on December 19, Coordinated by the UN and NASA

Global Campaign Brings Together More Than 80 Observatories to Accurately Measure the Trajectory of 3I/ATLAS and Enhance Response to Future Interstellar Visitors

What Happened and Why It Gathered Attention

How the UN and NASA Networks Are Monitoring 3I/ATLAS

Why Tracking Comets Is So Difficult

The New Astrometric Technique and What It Can Enable

The Planning of the Campaign and the Fortuitous Arrival of 3I/ATLAS

What 3I/ATLAS Reveals About Comets and Their Composition

Global Participation and What May Happen From Now On

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In Botswana, a salt flat of up to 16,000 km² that was once an African megalake spends months as an absolute white desert, but during the rainy season it transforms into a shallow sea that reappears from nowhere and can be seen from space in the middle of southern Africa.

Seen from space, an image taken by an astronaut shows an unlikely oasis in the Saudi Arabian desert, protected by a terrain that slows the advance of sand, surrounded by green circles, remnants of an extinct lake and nearly 10,000 years of preserved history.

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