The interstellar object 3I/ATLAS has moved more than 40 degrees away from the Sun and has returned to the zone of reliable observation.

Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, which recently passed behind the Sun, creating significant difficulties for observation, has now moved approximately 45 degrees from the solar disk, making it accessible for observation from Earth. A large number of images of the object will gradually appear (and are already appearing) in the near future, but these images will still shed little light on its nature.

The object's typical dimensions are approximately one kilometer (although some estimates reach up to 5 km), which, given its distance of over 200 million km, makes studying it about as difficult as trying to spot a 5-ruble coin in Omsk through a telescope from Moscow (the ratio of size to distance will be roughly the same). This uncertainty will allow the rumors and conspiracy theories about the object's nature to continue unabated, which will likely begin to subside only after December 19, when the object passes closest to Earth and, hopefully, will continue onward, as befits a respectable comet. It's worth noting that the closest approach to Earth is approximately 280 million km, so the alien landing that many are expecting these days will have to be carried out from a rather awkward position.

The primary source of data on the body's nature in the coming month will be spectroscopic studies, which will determine whether the object is glowing the right color and whether it has the right chemical composition. We will keep you updated on these developments as soon as possible.

It's worth noting that at its closest approach to Earth, in the second half of December, the object will likely become visible to the Hubble telescope. For current observations, the object is still too close to the Sun to image it without risking damage to the legendary telescope. Perhaps something new will be visible in these images. Attached to this post is an image of 3I/ATLAS, obtained by Hubble on August 7, when 3I/ATLAS was at a visible distance of approximately 120 degrees from the Sun.