Get ready to be amazed—we’ve just captured a stunning new image of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS (also known as C/2025 N1 ATLAS) on November 5, 2025, thanks to The Virtual Telescope Project 2.0. But here’s where it gets fascinating: this isn’t just any comet—it’s a visitor from beyond our solar system, and we’ve managed to photograph it after its recent close encounter with the Sun, marking the beginning of our post-perihelion observation season. We’re thrilled to share this extraordinary object live with the astronomy community!
The image you see above is the result of combining two 1200-second unfiltered exposures, captured remotely using the Celestron C14+Paramount ME+SBIG ST-10XME robotic telescope (https://www.virtualtelescope.eu/the-celestron-360mm-schmidt-cassegrain-telescope-on-paramount-me/) in Manciano, Italy. And this is the part most people miss: the conditions were far from ideal—an almost full Moon was setting, and the comet was just 8 degrees above the eastern horizon, barely visible during nautical twilight. Yet, the diffuse, cometary nature of the object shines through clearly.
Notice the bright star southwest of the comet? That’s Gaia DR3 3634786807779951232, with a magnitude of 11.76. But here’s a thought-provoking question: as we observe these interstellar visitors, what do they reveal about the vast, unexplored regions of our galaxy? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
We’re not stopping here—our observations will continue as long as possible, and we’re excited to share live images of 3I/ATLAS during a special feed on November 17, 2025 (https://www.virtualtelescope.eu/2025/10/31/interstellar-comet-3i-atlas-c-2025-n1-atlas-online-observation-17-nov-2025/). Don’t miss it!
Want to explore more? Head back to our “Solar System” page (https://www.virtualtelescope.eu/solar-system/) for more cosmic wonders. And if you’re inspired by our work, consider supporting The Virtual Telescope Project. Your donation helps us keep bringing the universe to you—plus, you’ll receive an EXCLUSIVE, high-quality image of the record-setting 2018 total lunar eclipse over the Colosseum, along with other unique pictures created just for our supporters. Join us in exploring the cosmos!
