Interstellar interloper 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1)

This is the third interstellar object ever detected to be passing through our solar system.
The object has an extreme hyperbolic orbit with eccentricity ~ 6.15.

Jane Luu early requested observations through her ToO program at the NOT.
On July 2nd the observers Andras Haris and Nora Routamo obtained the data,
and Jewitt and Luu presented the following StanCam R-band image:

StanCam/NOT 60 second R-band image of C/2025 N1 on July 2nd.

Multiple images of 60s integrations through a Bessel R-filter revealed
that the object is clearly active with a diffuse tail, confirming it is a comet.

Published in The Astronomer's Telegram: Jewitt & Luu, ATel 17263.

See Wikipedia entry for more information on this object.

Last modified: July 08 2025