PUNCH mission spots 3I/ATLAS (gif)

This movie shows PUNCH’s observations of comet 3I/ATLAS from Sept. 28 to Oct. 10, 2025, when the comet was between 231 million to 235 million miles from Earth. Each frame is a daily stacked image, made up of multiple observations taken of the comet on each day. Stars create streaks of light in the background as the comet moves across the sky. The bright object that appears near the comet in a couple of frames is the planet Mars.