Comet 3I/ATLAS Passes Asteroid 65 Cybele
Taken by Chris Dalla Piazza on December 5, 2025 @
Turbotville, PA
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Really neat to see the interstellar motion of Comet 3I against an asteroid. This visually demonstrates a few characteristics of the motion clearly.
First, 3I just happens to be passing close to the plane of the ecliptic even though it is not part of our solar system. Purely by chance.
Second, it is moving much faster than the asteroid, well above the velocity for a low(ish) eccentricity orbit for its distance from the sun of 1.9 AU. Also handily above escape velocity from the solar system. By contrast, 65 Cybele is 3.4 AU from the sun in the background.
Third, 3I is moving opposite or retrograde compared to the asteroid which is another clue to its interstellar origin. Of course, retrograde doesn't have much meaning for an interstellar object. It could just as easily have passed on the opposite side of the sun consistent with the motion of solar system objects.
14" Meade LX200 ACF, Trius SX-25C, AP1200GTO. 60 x 1 min.
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