Bengaluru's Light Pollution May Obscure 3I/ATLAS Comet Viewing

Bengaluru's bright lights could hinder the viewing of the 3I/ATLAS comet as it makes its closest approach to Earth on December 19. The city's pervasive light pollution presents a significant obstacle for skywatchers.

Local science and astronomy centers are weighing their options before deciding whether to organize public viewing sessions. While spotting the comet isn't impossible, the chances of a successful sighting are reduced due to the city's glow.

The 3I/ATLAS comet, an object that has captivated the world since July 2025, is only the third interstellar object detected in our solar system. Its unpredictable behavior has led some to believe it's unlike typical comets, adding to the public's fascination and drawing interest from both astronomers and the general public.

December 19 offers ideal conditions in some respects: a moonless night and potentially clear skies, typical for Bengaluru in winter. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. the city's intense light pollution, ranking it among India's brightest metropolitan areas, could make it difficult to see the comet, even with a telescope. The bright urban environment could overwhelm the comet's faint light, similar to how interior car lights impair nighttime driving.

Cyril Babu, a curator at the Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum (VITM), suggests that those eager to view the comet consider traveling to the city's rural outskirts. Both VITM and the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium (JNP) plan to conduct observation trials on December 18 to determine whether to host public viewing events.