Those who have been following the journey of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS for weeks feel that a certain wait is about to end.

This Wednesday, November 19, NASA will reveal to the public a series of previously unseen images of the enigmatic cosmic visitor, only the third known object to reach our solar system from the depths of interstellar space.

The presentation is scheduled for 3 p.m. EST (8:00 p.m. UTC) from the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, where the agency will show the public images that have not been shared until now.

The delay in publishing these observations had nothing to do with a lack of data or the fanciful theories hinting at an extraterrestrial spacecraft.

The reason was much more down-to-earth: most NASA personnel were off duty during the U.S. government shutdown between October 1 and November 12.

This administrative hiatus occurred during a critical phase of the comet's journey and left the agency unable to communicate with the public at a key moment.

The perihelion of the interstellar comet

And indeed, 3I/ATLAS has been at the center of decisive moments during these weeks of silence. On October 29, it reached perihelion—its closest point to the Sun—when comets typically exhibit their greatest activity. These “dirty snowballs,” as they are colloquially known for being masses of rock and ice, release spectacular gases when solar heat sublimates their icy surface, creating the characteristic tails of vapor and ions. The problem: from Earth, the comet was hidden behind the Sun at that critical moment. Observations from Mars: However, all was not lost. On October 3, the interstellar visitor passed within just 30 million kilometers of Mars, where a fleet of spacecraft awaited. The European Space Agency published images on October 7 captured by its ExoMarsTrace Gas Orbiter and Mars Express. In the images,The comet is barely visible as a small, luminous smudge, which makes sense considering these probes are optimized for close-up observations of the Martian surface, not for tracking fast-moving objects at enormous distances. Even so, the data allowed scientists to detect an envelope of ionized gas surrounding it, the typical "atmosphere" that accompanies natural comets. Furthermore, according to Live Science, by combining this data with ground-based observations, scientists were able to triangulate the object's exact position and significantly refine the calculation of its trajectory. Possible images from Hubble and James Webb Now NASA will share new images and data obtained by several of its missions, including footage captured by the HiRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter during the days leading up to the comet's passage by Mars. Science Alert speculates that observations from Hubble, the James Webb Space Telescope, and ground-based observatories like Gemini could also be included, although the agency has not confirmed which ones. Specific instruments participated.

The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS

The comet was discovered on July 1 by the NASA-funded ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) observatory.

It comes from an unknown star system and, although it poses no threat to Earth, its passage offers an exceptional scientific opportunity.

According to NASA, its resources allow it to observe the object “virtually for the entire time it will remain in our celestial neighborhood,” using complementary instruments from different angles.

How to watch the live stream

The best opportunity for ground-based observations is yet to come: on December 19, 3I/ATLAS will reach its closest approach to our planet, although it will remain at a distance of about 270 million kilometers.

Later, some of the probes operating in the vicinity of Jupiter are expected to observe it.

Observe the comet again early next year, in the final stage of its journey through the solar system before it disappears into interstellar space.

Wednesday's broadcast will be available on NASA+, the agency's website, YouTube, and Amazon Prime.

The public can submit questions using the hashtag #AskNASA on social media to be answered live.

Participants include Amit Kshatriya, NASA Associate Administrator; Nicky Fox, Associate Administrator of the Science Mission Directorate; and Tom Statler, Chief Scientist for Small Solar System Bodies.

Edited by Felipe Espinosa Wang with information from NASA, Space.com, Live Science, and Science Alert.