Even with a bright Moon spoiling the view, a visitor from another star system is making its presence known. Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1 ATLAS) is not just passing through; it is actively putting on a show. A dramatic new image captured by the Virtual Telescope Project reveals the comet's ion tail has grown significantly longer and more structured, a clear sign of intensifying activity on its journey past our Sun.
The image, captured at 11:31 p.m. EDT on 10 November (0431 GMT on 11 November), is a composite of 18 separate 120-second exposures. It was remotely taken by robotic telescopes in Manciano, Italy. Astronomers faced challenging conditions: the comet was just 14 degrees above the eastern horizon, and a bright 61% Moon shone about 70 degrees away. Despite this, a sharply defined, luminous ion tail is clearly visible.
