VLT image of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS (18 January 2026) (IMAGE)

ESO

VLT image of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS (18 January 2026)

Caption

This image of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS was taken on 18 January 2026 with the FORS2 instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT). It is a stack of several images spanning 14 minutes. As the comet moves on the sky, the stars appear as trails in the background.

Credit

ESO/O. Hainaut

Usage Restrictions

Credit must be given to the creator.

License

CC BY

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