For weeks, astronomers around the world have been talking about Comet 3I/ATLAS — a rare interstellar comet that made a brief visit through our solar system in October 29 2025. The date most people had marked on their calendars was October 29, when the comet made its closest approach to Earth.
Many skywatchers in Kenya hoped to witness this once-in-a-lifetime event. Yet, as the big day passed, nothing appeared in our skies. So what really happened? Why couldn’t Kenyans see the much-talked-about Comet 3I/ATLAS?
1. It’s not from our solar system
The first reason is also the most fascinating.
Comet 3I/ATLAS is interstellar — meaning it came from outside our solar system. It’s only the third known interstellar object after the famous ‘Oumuamua’ (2017) and Comet Borisov (2019).
Because it’s not bound by the Sun’s gravity, its path through the solar system is extremely fast and steep. That steep path means it only spends a short time in our skies and doesn’t orbit back like normal comets.
Its unusual trajectory also affects where and when it’s visible — and unfortunately, Kenya isn’t in the best viewing zone.
2. Too close to the Sun’s glare
From Kenya’s point of view, Comet 3I/ATLAS appeared very close to the Sun in the sky around October 29.
That’s a big problem for observers. When a comet sits near the Sun’s direction, its faint light gets completely washed out by sunlight during dawn or dusk. Even powerful telescopes struggle to separate it from the Sun’s glare.
In simple terms, it’s like trying to spot a candle flame next to a floodlight — impossible from our vantage point.
3. The comet is extremely faint
Another key reason is brightness.
Early hopes were that 3I/ATLAS might brighten as it approached the Sun, but astronomers later confirmed it remained too dim, around magnitude +17. For comparison, the faintest star visible to the human eye is about magnitude +6.
That means only large professional telescopes — not even backyard ones — could capture its faint glow. While it was close in distance, it wasn’t bright enough to impress skywatchers.
4. Northern Hemisphere had the advantage
Comet 3I/ATLAS’s flight path tilted northward, favoring regions like Europe, northern Asia, and parts of North America.
Kenya, being near the equator, had a poor viewing angle. The comet stayed low on the horizon and never climbed high enough in our night sky to be seen even if it were bright.
In short, geography worked against us this time.
5. You can still watch it — virtually
The good news? You can still experience 3I/ATLAS’s journey through the eyes of professional observatories.
NASA’s JPL Small-Body Database and the Virtual Telescope Project have shared real-time images and simulations showing its path. Sites such as SkyLive.com or Stellarium Web can even simulate how the comet would have appeared over Nairobi’s sky, had it been visible.
A brief visitor, but a big reminder
Even though we didn’t see Comet 3I/ATLAS with our own eyes, its passing reminds us how vast and connected the universe is. Every so often, a traveler from another star system drifts through our neighborhood — a silent messenger from deep space.
And while Kenya missed out on this one, the sky is full of future wonders. Astronomers predict new comets, eclipses, and planetary alignments that will be visible right here in East Africa in the coming years.
So, keep those eyes — and telescopes — ready.
Read Prior story https://www.whispers.co.ke/1077/news/2025/is-3i-atlas-dangerous-what-to-expect-on-october-29-2025/
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