On January 22, 2026, at 7:00 PM, ET, Hamptons Observatory and co-host Suffolk County Community College will present a free, virtual lecture by Dr. Ariel Graykowski, a research scientist from the SETI Institute who will talk about comets, interstellar visitors such as 3I/ATLAS and its unique features, as well as how professionals and citizen scientists are collaborating in an effort to learn more about our universe.
Registration is required for this free, virtual lecture: https://bit.ly/DynamicSkyTalk
From icy visitors from the outer solar system to rare interstellar interlopers like 3I/ATLAS, comets are among the most dynamic and mysterious objects we can observe. In this talk, Dr. Ariel Graykowski will share how citizen astronomers around the world are helping track and characterize these evolving worlds using the UNISTELLAR network of smart telescopes. She’ll discuss what makes 3I/ATLAS unique among interstellar objects, what its discovery can teach us about our cosmic neighborhood, and how the collaboration between professionals and citizen scientists is expanding the frontiers of small-body research.
Dr. Ariel Graykowski is a research scientist at the SETI Institute, where she leads the Unistellar Citizen Science Comet Program. She studies the evolving activity of comets, asteroids, and interstellar visitors using a global network of telescopes operated by citizen astronomers, working to bridge professional and public astronomy in the exploration of our solar system and beyond. Dr. Graykowski received her PhD in geophysics and space physics from UCLA.
Hamptons Observatory extends its thanks to Suffolk County Community College for its kind collaboration and Dr. Graykowski for sharing her expertise.
The photo is a Hubble Space telescope image of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. Hubble photographed the comet on 21 July 21 2025, when the comet was 365 million kilometers from Earth. Hubble shows that the comet has a teardrop-shaped cocoon of dust coming off its solid, icy nucleus. Because Hubble was tracking the comet moving along a hyperbolic trajectory, the stationary background stars are streaked in the exposure.
Hamptons Observatory is a New York State 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, est. 2005, that is dedicated to fostering interest in science with an emphasis on astronomy. In addition to our observatory (currently under repair), we offer public programs free of charge so that everyone has the opportunity to learn about and enjoy the wonders of the universe. We don't even charge membership dues. Instead, we rely exclusively on (and deeply appreciate) donations from individuals such as you. We also offer private star parties (for a contribution). If you enjoy our programs and believe in our mission, please make a tax-deductible donation now by going to https://bit.ly/HO-Zeffy Thanks!