Earlier this month, NASA’s TESS space telescope successfully captured the faint glow and tail of an interstellar comet, further enriching its archive with observations that may provide critical insights into this unique celestial visitor from beyond our solar system.
This 3I/ATLAS image was captured by NASA’s TESS satellite on January 15, 2026. Image credit: NASA/Daniel Muthukrishna, MIT.
The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS was discovered on July 1, 2025, by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile.
Known as C/2025 N1 (ATLAS) and A11pl3Z, this comet originated from the Sagittarius constellation.
3I/ATLAS holds the record for the most dynamically extreme orbit of any object tracked in our solar system.
It reached its closest approach to the Sun, or perihelion, on October 30, 2025.
The comet passed within 1.4 astronomical units (approximately 210 million km) of our Sun, just crossing Mars’ orbit.
After its brief obscuration behind the Sun, it reemerged near the triple star system Zania, located in the Virgo constellation.
According to MIT astronomer Daniel Muthukrishna and his team, “The TESS spacecraft systematically scans vast areas of the sky for about a month, looking for variations in light from distant stars to identify orbiting exoplanets and new worlds beyond our solar system.”
“Additionally, this technology enables TESS to detect and monitor remote comets and asteroids,” they added.
Notably, 3I/ATLAS had been observed prior to its official discovery in May 2025. For more details, you can read the findings.
From January 15 to 22, 2026, TESS re-observed the interstellar comet during a dedicated observation period.
The comet’s brightness measured approximately 11.5 times the apparent magnitude, making it about 100 times dimmer than what the human eye can perceive.
By revisiting the TESS data, astronomers successfully identified this faint comet by stacking multiple observations to track its motion, showcasing the extraordinary capabilities of the TESS mission.
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Imagine looking up at the night sky 1,000 years ago; you would likely see an additional point of light compared to today. Back then, Chinese astronomers referred to these phenomena as “guest stars,” believing they foretold significant changes.
Today, we understand these were likely supernovae—spectacular explosions from dying stars—one of many serendipitous discoveries made by astronomers observing at opportune moments.
In the modern era, the quest for these “transient” events has evolved into a strategic approach, revolutionizing the field of astronomy. We have since identified numerous fleeting events that span from mere nanoseconds to durations longer than a human lifetime.
“Astronomy considers both spatial and temporal scales, yet the latter remains largely unexplored,” states Jason Hessels from the University of Amsterdam.
To capture these ephemeral occurrences effectively, astronomers are innovating by synchronizing telescopes into a cohesive unit, akin to a well-oiled machine, as evidenced by the Palomar Temporary Factory project from 2009 to 2012. One significant flash observed by a telescope in San Diego prompted immediate follow-up investigations by others. “It was orchestrated like a conveyor belt,” Hessels remarked.
More specialized telescopes are emerging, focusing on time, rather than just space. Notably, the Zwicky Temporary Facility has taken over from Palomar, and the Pan-STARRS survey amassed 1.6 petabytes of astronomical data—recording the largest dataset ever captured from Hawaii.
These advanced telescopes have generated extensive data that unveil the twinkling and fluctuating events of the cosmos, including gamma-ray bursts, fast radio bursts, gravitational waves, and stars that either explode spontaneously or are ripped apart by black holes.
Transient astronomy is reshaping our perception of the universe. “We’ve progressed from painting to photography, and now to some form of stop-motion film,” Hessels describes. He continues, “We’re approaching a complete narrative. Each adjustment in my perspective of the sky feels as though the cinematic experience expands further.”
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is set to provide a new perspective on the universe
Olivier Bonin/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
The elevation is high above Celopachen, a Chilean mountain towering over 2600 meters. As I ascend the stairs within the dome of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, I find myself breathing deeply. The atmosphere is cool, serene, and expansive, resembling a cathedral. Then, the entire dome begins to rotate, revealing the vast sky.
Night falls, unveiling an abundance of stars like I’ve never witnessed. The Milky Way shines exceptionally bright, and I can spot two of its satellite galaxies, the Small Magellanic Cloud. Yet, the Rubin telescope steals the show with its massive presence. It boasts the largest digital cameras and lenses in the world, tipping the scales at a staggering 350 tons. As a reflective telescope, it gathers light via a mirror, with its largest mirror measuring 8.4 meters across. The tunnel leading to the summit matches its width at about 8.5 meters.
Despite its immense weight, this telescope can maneuver swiftly, poised to transform our understanding of the solar system, galaxies, and the universe at large. Every three nights, it completes a Southern Sky survey, a feat that previously required weeks or months. Over a decade, Rubin will create a kind of cosmic time-lapse.
“By capturing the sky every three days, we can layer those images to delve deeper,” explains researcher Kevin Rail. “Ten years down the line, we will have explored much more deeply, revealing the universe’s structure,” he states.
A core mission of the observatory involves comprehensively understanding how dark matter influences the cosmos. Bella Rubin, the namesake astronomer, initiated this journey in the 1970s when observations of galaxy rotation disclosed that visible matter represented only a fraction of the universe. She discovered that stars on the galactic outskirts were moving faster than expected; according to Kepler’s Law, they should be traveling more slowly compared to stars nearer the galaxy’s center.
After extensive observations and calculations, it became evident that additional unseen mass must exist. This invisible entity is referred to as dark matter, and astronomers now estimate that it is nearly five times more abundant than visible matter, exerting gravitational effects that shape our observable universe.
“Visible entities are actually following the contours set by dark matter, not vice versa,” observes Stephanie Deppe at the observatory. Galaxies are believed to be arranged in what astronomers term the cosmic web, woven by filaments of dark matter that hold the visible stars through gravity. The images captured by Rubin provide an unprecedented view of this web.
Mapping this web also aids in uncovering the properties of dark matter. Is it composed of fast-moving, lightweight particles or is it cold and denser? “You can identify small anomalies, such as kinks in a stellar stream,” Deppe adds. These anomalies indicate where dark matter has accumulated along the filaments. Determining the mass will help to refine hypotheses regarding the type of dark matter present. Additionally, the structure of the cosmic web offers insights into dark energy, the force propelling the universe’s expansion.
Staff at the summit installing the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s Commissioning Camera in August 2024.
Rubin Observatory/NSF/AURA/H. Stockebrand
The excitement surrounding precision astronomy is palpable at the observatory. During the evening’s observations, chatter fills the kitchen near the telescope control room. One of the telescope operators bounces with eagerness: “We hope the skies cooperate tonight,” a term used for opening the telescope’s shutter to capture images. “Indeed, we do,” his colleague responds, smiling over a cup of tea. As the sun sets, we collectively wish for a clear evening.
When the clouds part, the control room buzzes with activity. The operator skillfully adjusts the telescope to ensure proper focus. Every 30 seconds, a new image is captured, and an audio cue signals when the shutter opens and closes, followed by a satisfying whoosh as it resets. The telescope snaps a segment of the sky before dashing to the next location, creating a grid that will be stitched together.
All systems run smoothly until suddenly, a glitch arises. To optimize viewing opportunities, the observatory employs an automated system that determines where the telescope should aim, based on weather conditions and moon phases. However, this system has momentarily malfunctioned. Operators traverse the mountains for hours with scientists at base camp, diving into the code to locate the problem. Twenty minutes later, adjustments are made, and the regular shutter cadence resumes, with images flowing in once more.
“This is one of the best nights we’ve experienced. The data is exceptional,” notes Eli Rikov, Calibration Scientist. “I hope the processors can deliver high-quality scientific images.”
Once captured, the images embark on a swift journey around the globe. They traverse the 103,000 km stretch of fiber cables leading either across the Atlantic or Pacific, ultimately reaching the U.S. The images pass through a hub in Florida before arriving at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California.
Each image is approximately 32 gigapixels, comparable to a 4K movie, and arrives within about 10 seconds. William Omlan manages data on the observation deck. From there, the data is distributed to facilities in the UK and France, making the images accessible to scientists worldwide.
One of the most urgent analyses will focus on swiftly moving objects. The night sky constantly shifts and changes in unpredictable ways, and the Rubin Observatory is poised to catch these movements. It will track asteroids and comets moving across the sky, including those in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, as well as Trans-Neptunian objects.
“Currently, we only know a few thousand objects,” explains an expert in the Kuiper Belt and other distant clouds. “Rubin could potentially increase our catalog tenfold.”
Moreover, it will help monitor potential threats from near-Earth objects, amplifying our known inventory from around 30,000 to approximately 100,000. The telescope has also successfully observed fast-moving interstellar visitors like Oumuamua, which zipped through our solar system in 2017, and Borisov, which arrived in 2019.
This census of solar system objects could also shed light on the elusive Planet 9, a hypothetical world—5 to 10 times Earth’s size—believed to exist in the outer solar system, inferred from the unusual orbits of Kuiper Belt objects. Simulations suggest it could be responsible, though conclusive evidence is still missing.
That may soon change. “Rubin might directly discover Planet 9, providing definitive proof or debunking its existence,” Deppe mentions.
One mystery the telescope won’t unravel is the uncertain future of American scientific funding. Jointly funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation (NSF), the latter has faced proposed budget cuts exceeding 50%. When I inquired about its implications, staff at the observatory were uncertain. “I won’t speculate about the potential impact of the President’s fiscal year 2026 budget request,” an NSF spokesperson responded.
But inside the control room, funding debates can wait. Though midnight approaches, shifts are far from over. Scientists work diligently until 3 or 4 a.m., but weariness seems absent. Every so often, someone exclaims, “Look at these stunning images!”
The first publicly released image appeared on June 23rd, capturing a full view of the southern sky every three nights. “The entire idea is to construct an observatory capable of collecting all the data demanded by the scientific community worldwide.”
Vera C. Rubin Observatory is set to unveil new perspectives of the universe
Olivier Bonin/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
The atmosphere above Celopachen, a mountain in Chile standing over 2600 meters high, is sparse. Taking a trip up the stairs inside the dome of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory requires a breath. It’s cool, serene, immensely spacious—and then the entire dome rotates, revealing the sky.
As night envelops the landscape, the stars multiply, more abundant than I’ve ever witnessed. The Milky Way glows vibrantly, and I spot the small Magellanic Cloud, one of our galaxy’s companions. The Rubin telescope, however, dominates the scene—it’s massive, boasting the world’s largest digital cameras and lenses, with a weight of 350 tonnes. This reflective telescope gathers light through its mirror, with the largest mirror measuring 8.4 meters in diameter, designed to fit snugly through the 8.5-meter wide tunnel leading to the summit.
Despite its impressive heft, the telescope is swift, poised to transform our understanding of our solar system, galaxies, and the universe. Every three nights, it captures a survey of the Southern Sky. While previous sky investigations took weeks or months, Rubin accomplishes this in just half the time, providing a sort of cosmic time-lapse.
“By photographing the sky every three days, we can layer those images to delve deeper,” explains scientist Kevin Rail. “Thus, a decade from now, you’ll delve into the universe’s inner workings and its structure,” he adds.
Unraveling that structure is among the observatory’s goals, focusing on how dark matter distorts the universe. Bella Rubin, the namesake astronomer, pioneered this quest in the 1970s through galaxy rotation observations that indicated visible matter was but a fraction of what exists. She noted that stars at a galaxy’s edge were zipping by too quickly, contradicting Kepler’s Law, which suggested they should move at slower velocities compared to those near the galactic center.
After extensive observation and calculations, the conclusion was clear: an unseen entity must be present—this is now known as dark matter. Astronomers believe it comprises nearly five times more mass than visible matter, and its gravitational pull shapes the universe we observe.
“Visible matter actually traces dark matter’s gravitational field, not the other way around,” says Stephanie Deppe at the observatory. Galaxies are perceived to exist in what astronomers term the cosmic web, interlinked by dark matter filaments that capture the stars we can observe. Rubin’s images offer unparalleled views of this web.
This mapping effort aids in deciphering dark matter’s nature—whether it’s composed of hot, light, fast-moving particles or colder, aggregated ones. “We seek small disturbances, like kinks in stellar streams,” Deppe explains. These disturbances indicate sections where dark matter is concentrated within filaments. Understanding the mass from these observations refines our knowledge of dark matter’s characteristics. Moreover, deciphering the cosmic web’s structure can enhance our comprehension of dark energy, the force accelerating the universe’s expansion.
Summit staff will install the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s commissioning camera in August 2024.
Rubin Observatory/NSF/AURA/H. Stockebrand
The enthusiasm for precision astronomy is palpable at the observatory. During my observation night, excitement buzzes through the air, particularly in the kitchen adjoining the control room. One of the operators, practically bouncing with energy, exclaims, “We hope the sky is clear tonight!” This term refers to opening the telescope shutter for imaging. “Indeed, we do,” replies a colleague, grinning over their tea. As twilight descends, we all hope for a cloudless sky.
When the clouds part, the control room buzzes with energy. An operator continues fine-tuning the telescope for optimum image focus. Every 30 seconds brings a new image, followed by the sound of the shutter opening and closing—like a hushed reverberation through the dome as it swiftly captures and moves on to the next section of the sky, constructing an intricate cosmic puzzle.
Suddenly, an unexpected glitch occurs. To maximize observational efficiency, the observatory employs an automated program that directs the telescope based on weather and moon phases, but this system stumbles momentarily. Operators venture through the rugged terrain alongside scientists at base camp, collaborating to troubleshoot the issue. After about 20 minutes, adjustments are made, and normal operations resume, with the rhythm of the shutter beginning anew.
“This is one of our best nights; everything is flowing smoothly—this data is excellent,” reveals Eli Rikov, the calibration scientist. “I’m optimistic the processors will produce high-quality scientific images.”
Once captured, images embark on a rapid journey around the globe. They traverse down the mountain on an extensive network of 103,000 km of fiber optic cables, reaching the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans before arriving in the US. Images pass through a central hub in Florida before arriving at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California.
Each captured image consists of about 32 gigapixels, roughly the equivalent of a 4K movie, and they arrive in approximately 10 seconds. William Omlan, overseeing data on the observation deck, then disseminates this data to facilities in the UK and France, ensuring it reaches scientists worldwide.
Most urgent analyses focus on rapidly moving celestial bodies. The night sky is in constant flux, exhibiting blips and changes in unpredictable patterns. The Rubin Observatory is uniquely equipped to capture these dynamic movements, allowing for near-real-time detection of rapidly changing objects. The telescope tracks asteroids and comets racing across the night sky, including those within the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, as well as trans-Neptunian objects.
“Currently, we are aware of thousands of these objects,” says the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud researcher. “Rubin will likely increase that count tenfold.”
The observatory also plays a crucial role in monitoring potential threats from near-Earth objects, aiming to expand our knowledge from about 30,000 to an estimated 100,000. It has even succeeded in capturing fast-moving interstellar objects, such as Oumuamua, which passed through our solar system in 2017, and Borisov, which followed in 2019.
This extensive census of the solar system might also solve the enigma of Planet 9. Intriguing evidence suggests a body—5 to 10 times the mass of Earth—exists in the outer solar system, inferred from Kuiper Belt objects exhibiting peculiar yet similar orbits. Simulations propose that such a planet could be influencing these orbits, though direct evidence remains elusive.
That may soon change. “Rubin’s data will either uncover definitive evidence of Planet 9 or eliminate any existing doubts,” predicts Deppe.
However, there’s also uncertainty looming over American science funding. The observatory receives joint funding from the US Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation (NSF), the latter having faced draconian budget cuts proposed by over half. When I inquired about the potential implications, staff members seemed nonplussed. “I prefer not to speculate on the effects of the President’s budget request for fiscal year 2026,” an NSF spokesperson told me later.
For now, though, back in the control room, financial concerns take a backseat. Approaching midnight, the shift continues. Scientists work diligently until 3 am or 4 am, yet fatigue seems nonexistent. Occasionally, someone brightens the room with, “Look at these stunning images!”
The first published image emerged on June 23rd, showcasing a complete view of the southern sky obtained every three nights. “The vision is to create an observatory that can capture all the data the world wishes for.”
A new batch of Starlink satellites deployed via Falcon 9 Rocket
SpaceX
Astronomers have raised concerns that SpaceX’s Starlink satellites emit radio waves that may jeopardize their ability to observe and comprehend the early universe.
With thousands of Starlink satellites in orbit offering worldwide internet coverage, astronomers worry that radio emissions from these satellites could interfere with sensitive telescopes monitoring distant and faint radio waves. Although SpaceX has collaborated with astronomers to minimize this disruption by disabling transmission beams while passing over significant telescopes, these measures seem insufficient.
Steven Tingay from Curtin University, Australia, along with his team, is currently tracking signals from nearly 2,000 Starlink satellites using prototype telescopes at the Square Kilometer Array-low Observatory (SKA-low). This future network of over 100,000 interconnected telescopes is designed to investigate the early universe, but researchers have found that Starlink signals could jeopardize their goals by affecting a third of the data gathered at numerous frequencies.
Additionally, they found that the satellites transmit signals in two frequency bands protected for radio astronomy by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which should not be utilized for Starlink transmissions. Yet, these satellite emissions are deemed unintentional. The leaked signals are 10,000 times stronger than the faint radio emissions from the neutral hydrogen clouds that existed when the first stars began to form, and which astronomers wish to study to decode the early universe.
“The signal strength from these unintended emissions can rival some of the brightest natural radio sources in the sky,” Tingay explains. “It’s akin to taking the strongest sauces in the sky, adding even more artificial ones, and causing significant interference, especially in experiments that target super sensitivity.”
Tingay suggests that the emissions likely arise from onboard electronics inadvertently transmitting signals through satellite antennas. He notes that while such leaks are not technically illegal, as ITU regulations only cover intentional emissions, the discourse about how to regulate these types of emissions is starting at the ITU, which has withheld comment.
Dylan Grigg, another researcher from Curtin University, emphasizes, “The optimal approach to mitigate these unintended emissions is for satellites to either reduce or eliminate them. From the operator’s perspective, it’s beneficial that there are existing mitigation strategies in satellites, which SpaceX has already implemented for optical astronomy.” Starlink has adjusted its satellites to minimize light reflection to reduce visual interference.
A spokesperson for SKA-LOW remarked, “These findings align with our previous studies, but additional research is necessary to fully grasp the impact on low-frequency observations.”
Grigg and Tingay have shared their findings with SpaceX, stating that the company is open to discussions on strategies to decrease emissions. SpaceX has not commented on the matter.
If SpaceX cannot devise a solution, researchers may need to introduce algorithmic strategies to filter out contaminated radio waves. However, Tingay pointed out that such methods are still in their early development phases and might require more computational resources than are currently needed for basic processing of the astronomical signals of interest.
According to a team of astronomers from the University of Hull, spotting a deepfake is as simple as looking for stars in the eyes. They propose that AI-generated fakes can be identified by examining human eyes in a similar manner to studying photos of galaxies. This means that if the reflections in a person’s eye match, then the image is likely of a real human. If not, it is likely a deepfake.
In this image, the person on the left (Scarlett Johansson) is real and the one on the right is generated by AI. Below their faces are painted eyeballs. The reflections in the eyeballs match in the real person but are inaccurate (from a physical standpoint) in the fake one. Image credit: Adejumoke Owolabi / CC BY 4.0.
“The eye reflections match up for real people but are incorrect (from a physics standpoint) for fake people,” said Prof Kevin Pimblett, from the University of Hull.
Professor Pimblett and his colleagues analysed the light reflections of the human eye in real and AI-generated images.
They then quantified the reflections using a method commonly used in astronomy to check for consistency between the reflections in the left and right eyes.
In fake images, the reflections in both eyes are often inconsistent, while in real images the reflections in both eyes are usually the same.
“To measure the shape of a galaxy we analyse whether it has a compact centre, whether it has symmetry and how smooth it is – we analyse the distribution of light,” Professor Pimblett said.
“We automatically detect the reflections and run their morphological features through CAS (density, asymmetry, smoothness) Gini Coefficient. This is to compare the similarities between the left and right eyeballs.”
“Our findings suggest that there are some differences between the two types of deepfakes.”
The Gini coefficient is typically used to measure how light in an image of a galaxy is distributed from pixel to pixel.
This measurement is done by ordering the pixels that make up an image of a galaxy in order of increasing flux, and comparing the result with what would be expected from a perfectly uniform flux distribution.
A Gini value of 0 is a galaxy whose light is evenly distributed across all pixels in the image, and a Gini value of 1 is a galaxy whose light is all concentrated in one pixel.
The astronomers also tested the CAS parameter, a tool originally developed by astronomers to measure the distribution of a galaxy’s light to determine its morphology, but found it to be useless for predicting false eyes.
“It’s important to note that this is not a silver bullet for detecting fake images,” Professor Pimblett said.
“There are false positives and false negatives, and it doesn’t detect everything.”
“But this method provides a foundation, a plan of attack, in the arms race to detect deepfakes.”
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