A comet from another star system? Watch interstellar 3I/ATLAS live tonight
The tiny comet was first observed by the NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope, located in Rio Hurtado, Chile, on July 1.
Initially called C/2025 N1 (ATLAS) or A11pl3Z, the comet has since been renamed 3I/ATLAS by the Minor Planet Center (MPC). The '3I' is a marker indicating this comet as the third known interstellar object, after 'Oumuamua in 2017, and the comet 2I/Borisov in 2019.
As per the MPC report, the comet has a marginal coma and a short three-inch tail, making it more difficult to observe. You have a chance to view this one, though, thanks to The Virtual Telescope Project .
The platform is using its technology allowing all to view the 3I/ATLAS live as it travels toward the Sun. This is accessible on The Virtual Telescope Project's WebTV, YouTube channel. The livestream will begin at 3:30 am IST on July 4. It will show footage from telescopes in Mancino, Italy.
On July 2, using one of its robotic telescopes to track its motion, the Virtual Telescope Project was able to capture a photo of the comet. Due to the telescope's movement, stars show movement trails as the comet looks like a stationary light.
As per NASA, 3I/ATLAS is 4.5 astronomical units (converting to 670 million kilometres) away from the Sun, with a magnitude of 18.8. However, the comet is expected to get slightly brighter by around October 30, as it reaches perihelion, or its closest point to the Sun. This will be around 1.4 astronomical units (or 210 million kilometres) away from the Sun.
At the moment, the comet is currently moving at a speed of 68 kilometers per second relative to the Sun. While the 3I/ATLAS will temporarily disappear from view by mid-November as it travels behind the Sun, it is expected to reappear in view by early-December.
(This article has been curated by Purv Ashar, who is an intern with The Indian Express)
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Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
‘It is possible': PM Modi, Shubhanshu Shukla discuss India's space ambitions
Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed India's upcoming space projects, the challenges of life in orbit, and the potential of indigenous research to aid both astronauts and food security on Earth during his meeting with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on Monday, after he returned from the Axiom space mission in collaboration with NASA. A video of the interaction was released on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting with astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, at his residence in New Delhi, on Monday. (PMO) In the video, the Prime Minister says, 'The most important task before us will be to have a large pool of astronauts. We should have 40–50 people ready,' noting that Shukla's journey would inspire children to believe that becoming an astronaut is now a realistic career path in India. Shukla agreed, saying, 'In today's Bharat, the child does not merely dream, he knows it is possible, that there is an option, and that he can indeed become one.' Shukla described the physical and psychological adjustments required in space, noting that while the body has strength, the brain must adapt to a new environment. 'The body has strength, the muscles have strength, but the brain has to be rewired… it has to understand again that this is a new environment, and that to walk here, this much effort or strength will be required,' he said. He explained that astronauts face slower heartbeats in microgravity and, on returning to Earth, cannot immediately walk unaided despite being healthy. On living conditions in space, Shukla said that seating arrangements during launch remain fixed for nearly 24 hours, but once in orbit astronauts may unstrap and float inside the capsule. Though the space was limited, he described it as 'better than the cockpit of a fighter jet'. Food, he said, remains a major challenge. Highlighting experiments with Indian crops, Shukla explained: 'To grow these (moong and fenugreek) is very simple; they do not require many resources on a space station. Just place a little water in a small dish, leave them, and within eight days sprouts start appearing very well, Sir. I saw them growing on the station itself. These are the secrets of our country, I would say, Sir. As soon as we got the opportunity to do micro-gravity research, these too reached there. Who knows, this might solve our food security problem.' The Prime Minister also asked about international reactions to India's progress in space. Shukla said his colleagues 'were very happy to meet me, very excited to speak… Most importantly, everyone knew about Bharat's progress in the field of space. Many people were even more excited about Gaganyaan than I was.' He noted that fellow astronauts even requested his signature, saying they wished to ride on India's future spacecrafts. Shukla attributed his preparedness to rigorous training in the Indian Air Force and as a test pilot, describing it as 'practically like an engineering discipline'. He said his mission was not the end but 'the beginning', and recalled that after his previous meeting with the Prime Minister, colleagues joked about the 'homework' Modi had assigned him. Looking ahead, Shukla emphasised the significance of Gaganyaan and the Bharatiya Space Station (BAS), adding that self-reliance in space technology and manufacturing would be crucial. Shukla echoed this, saying, 'It could be a very powerful tool—if there were a space station led by Bharat, but with participation from other nations too.' He further credited government commitment for sustaining India's space ambitions: 'Even after failures, if such support is forthcoming, and the whole world is watching, then certainly, sir, we have both the capacity and the position to acquire a leadership role in this field.' The interaction ended with Shukla sharing photographs taken from orbit, pointing out Bengaluru, Hyderabad, the Himalayas, flashes of lightning, and sunrise from space. Shukla's mission, which was launched from Florida on June 25 and docked with the ISS a day later, concluded with his return to Earth on July 15. During his 18-day stay in orbit, he and his fellow astronauts Peggy Whitson (US), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary) carried out more than 60 scientific experiments and 20 outreach activities.
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First Post
4 hours ago
- First Post
Future of farming? How astronauts are growing food in space
In a discussion with PM Narendra Modi, Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla highlighted the importance of food in space missions and spoke of how he grew methi and moong seeds while being on the International Space Station. But why is space farming becoming an important aspect of space exploration? Following his successful mission to the International Space Station (ISS), making him only the second Indian in space, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is back on Earth and has returned to India. On Monday evening, the Indian astronaut met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the latter's residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, discussing the success of the Axiom-4 mission, as well as India's ambitious Gaganyaan mission. During the interaction, Shukla spoke about his many experiments aboard the ISS, including growing crops in space. For those who aren't aware, Shukla turned farmer in space — growing 'moong' and 'methi' seeds in petri dishes aboard the ISS. Speaking on the same to Modi, Shukla said that food remains a major challenge aboard space stations due to limited space and expensive cargo. He further noted the potential of his experiments to address food security challenges — not only for astronauts but also for vulnerable populations on Earth. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A wonderful conversation with Shubhanshu Shukla. Do watch! @gagan_shux — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 19, 2025 This got us wondering — how do plants grow in space? And why is it important for space travel? Shukla turns space farmer As part of his now successful Axiom-4 mission, Shukla conducted various experiments in space, including growing plants on board the ISS. In fact, this was the most crucial of his seven experiments. Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla aboard the International Space Station planting moong and methi seeds. File image/PTI As part of the mission, he planted moong and methi seeds in petri dishes and kept them in a storage freezer. This activity was part of a study into the influence of microgravity on germination and early plant development. These seeds will be cultivated over multiple generations after their return to earth, with researchers looking into changes in their genetics, microbial ecosystems and nutritional profiles. Recalling this experiment, he told PM Modi in Monday's discussion, 'Food is a big challenge on space station. Many experiments are ongoing to grow food in space. We did micro-gravity research — it could solve food security problems on earth too.' Growing food in space But Shukla isn't the first astronaut to try his hand at farming on board the ISS. Astronauts have been growing plants in space on a fairly small scale. In fact, in 2014, Nasa, America's space agency, launched the Vegetable Production System, known as Veggie, on board the ISS. Simply put, it is a space garden, which is the size of an average carry-on bag. It typically holds six plants. The purpose of Veggie is to help Nasa study plant growth in microgravity, while adding fresh food to the astronauts' diet and enhancing happiness and well-being on the orbiting laboratory. Mixed greens (mizuna, red romaine lettuce and tokyo bekana cabbage), grown in Nasa's Veggie facilities. File image/AFP To date, Veggie has successfully grown a variety of plants, including three types of lettuce, Chinese cabbage, mizuna mustard, red Russian kale and zinnia flowers. So far, some of the plants have been harvested and eaten by the crew members, while remaining samples have returned to earth to be analyeed. One concern was harmful microbes growing on the produce. So far, no harmful contamination has been detected, and the food has been safe (and enjoyable) for the crew to eat. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But how are these plants grown? There are two ways: one is through hydroponics — the method of growing plants without soil, using nutrient-rich water solutions — and the second being through aeroponics, which eliminates the need for soil or any other medium. Plants can also be grown in space in soil-like media. International Space Station astronauts Mark Vande Hei, Shane Kimbrough, Akihiko Hoshide and Megan McArthur, pose with peppers grown in space for the first time aboard the orbiting laboratory platform for the Plant Habitat-04 investigation. File image/Reuters In Nasa's Veggie garden, the plants are grown in a 'pillow' filled with a clay-based growth media and fertiliser. The pillows are important to help distribute water, nutrients and air in a healthy balance around the roots. Earlier, this year, even Isro made strides in space farming with the CROPS box, which is like a mini-greenhouse. It is an experimental module designed to develop Isro's capabilities for growing and sustaining plants in space. It has a soil-like medium, water, sunlight-mimicking lights, and Earth-like air. Challenges in growing food in space However, growing plants in space is no child's play and goes beyond just having a green thumb. Firstly, astronauts have to contend with microgravity. In a zero-gravity environment, plants struggle to orient themselves properly, as their natural response to gravity doesn't function the same way. Essentially, the plant doesn't have the same instinct for the roots to grow downwards and the stems to grow upwards, which can affect development and nutrient absorption. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD There are multiple challenges to farming in space, namely the issue of zero gravity and the lack of soil or natural light. Representational image/AI-generated There's also the issue of having less space and no natural light. On earth, plants have access to loads of natural sunlight. However, this doesn't apply to space. For this reason, artificial light has to be provided, but that too is difficult owing to the importance attached to using energy efficiently. Energy can't be wasted on light bulbs. In addition, different types of lighting create different levels of heat, and extra heat is something spacecraft must eliminate. Additionally, astronauts don't have extra room to lug spare light bulbs through space, so they need a lighting source with staying power, like light emitting diodes (LEDs). The confined quarters of the ISS is another challenge that astronauts have to deal with. Besides these challenges, there's also the problem of radiation and contamination. There's a chance that the plants grown in space be contaminated with organisms from space, making them inedible for humans. Changes in their genetic codes could be harmful in other ways. As How Stuff Works notes, we could land up with a space version of kudzu — an invasive species of plant brought to the US from Japan in the late 1800s. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Importance of space farming But what purpose does growing plants in space serve? The main benefit of growing plants in space is to enable long-term space exploration — we are eyeing longer space missions and even colonising Mars. For this, it is critical that astronauts have a regenerative source of food. After all, imagine going on vacation for a year and having to pack all the meals you planned on eating — your bags would only be stuffed with groceries. Plants could also assist the life support system in other ways too. They can be used to purify water and recycle carbon dioxide into oxygen. If grown on a large-enough scale, plants could hugely impact how spacecraft and colonies are designed. As humans seek to further explore space and even colonise Mars, they will need a regenerative source of food. Representational image/AI-generated As Siddharth Pandey, an affiliate research scientist with US-based Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, told The Indian Express, 'Since plants release oxygen during photosynthesis, growing them in space can help keep the air aboard spacecraft breathable. Plants can recycle carbon dioxide and organic waste, creating a closed-loop life support system.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Space farming can also benefit humans on Earth. Scientists hope to transfer the knowledge they gain from growing plants in the inhospitable climate of space to hostile climates on earth. This will help as land becomes scarcer and less fertile. It seems that while we are far, far away from a salad bar in space, we are making giant leaps in space farming. With inputs from agencies
NDTV
6 hours ago
- NDTV
"Allow Parliament To Felicitate" Shubhanshu Shukla: Kiren Rijiju To Opposition
New Delhi: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday appealed to Opposition parties to allow Parliament to felicitate Axiom-4 Mission Pilot and IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, along with Indian scientists, for the country's recent success in space exploration. In a post on X, Kiren Rijiju wrote, "I again.. appeal to opposition parties to allow Parliament to felicitate Capt Subhanshu Shukla and the entire Indian Scientists for India's remarkable and successful space mission. All our heroes deserve appreciation!" I again.. appeal to opposition parties to allow Parliament to felicitate Capt Subhanshu Shukla and entire Indian Scientists for India's remarkable and successful space mission???? All our heroes deserve appreciation! — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) August 19, 2025 His remarks came after the Opposition created an uproar during a special discussion in Parliament on India's space programme and the successful International Space Station (ISS) mission of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla. The discussion, titled "India's Space Program and Its Role in Viksit Bharat 2047", was aimed at highlighting the nation's scientific progress, national pride, and future security prospects. The opposition members disrupted the session by shouting slogans, demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar. Earlier, on Monday, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, hit out at the Opposition parties, calling it "surprising" that the opposition cannot even praise the country's achievements in space. "The opposition has failed to congratulate the space experts and scientists for our space achievements. Your anger can be with the government. Your anger can be with the BJP and the NDA. But it is surprising that you can be angry with an astronaut. And that astronaut who, apart from being an astronaut, is also a disciplined soldier of the Indian Air Force. He does not belong to any political party," Jitendra Singh said in Lok Sabha amid sloganeering by the opposition MPs. Mr Shukla, who returned to Earth on July 15 after completing NASA's Axiom-4 (AX-4) space mission, landed in the national capital in the early hours of Sunday. Mr Shukla was part of NASA's Axiom-4 Space Mission, which took off from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, US, on June 25. He returned to Earth on July 15, splashing down off the coast of California. He became the first Indian in 41 years to travel to space.
