NASA is conducting a comprehensive observational campaign of comet 3I/ATLAS, the third confirmed interstellar object in our solar system, utilizing twelve different spacecraft since its discovery on July 1. This extensive observation effort allows scientists to study how this comet differs from those originating in our solar system, enhancing our understanding of varying cosmic compositions.
Key observations include those from Mars, where three NASA spacecraft captured images of the comet as it passed by from 19 million miles away. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) provided close-up images, while the MAVEN orbiter collected ultraviolet data to analyze the comet’s composition. Additionally, the Perseverance rover captured faint images from the Martian surface.
NASA’s heliophysics missions, including the STEREO and SOHO spacecraft, have also observed 3I/ATLAS, particularly while it was positioned behind the Sun from Earth’s perspective. This marks a historic moment as it represents the first intentional monitoring of an interstellar object by such missions.
In addition, the Psyche and Lucy spacecraft, which are en route to various asteroids, have also captured images of the comet during their journeys. The ATLAS telescope in Chile initially discovered 3I/ATLAS, which has since been imaged by NASA’s Hubble, James Webb, and SPHEREx telescopes.
Comet 3I/ATLAS will make its closest approach to Earth on December 19, 2023, at a distance of 170 million miles, and NASA will continue monitoring it until it exits the solar system near Jupiter’s orbit in spring 2026.
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