Two Mars probes have recently captured images of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, as reported by the European Space Agency (ESA). This comet originates from an unknown star system far beyond our solar system and has been traversing the inner solar system for several months. It approached Mars on October 3, ahead of its close encounter with the Sun on October 30.
The ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and Mars Express Orbiter successfully observed the comet, which was observed to be about 18.6 million miles (30 million kilometers) away. The Mars Express found the comet too dark to capture clear images, while the TGO managed to create a series of images showcased in an animated GIF, depicting the comet as a blurry bright spot moving away from Mars at approximately 130,000 miles per hour.
The bright spots in the images represent the comet’s nucleus and its surrounding coma. As the comet nears the Sun, the heating causes sublimation of its surface ice, potentially expanding its coma and forming a tail. However, due to the TGO’s design limitations for observing fast-moving distant objects, no tails were detected. ESA officials noted that the comet is significantly darker than typical targets, making it challenging to analyze.
Additionally, NASA’s public communications have been halted due to a government shutdown, leaving uncertainty around any findings from the Mars rover or other satellites regarding the comet’s approach. However, images from the Perseverance rover on October 4 may show potential evidence of 3I/ATLAS.
3I/ATLAS is one of only three confirmed interstellar objects, and it is estimated to be between 3 and 7 miles (5 to 11 kilometers) wide. The comet will eventually pass behind the Sun, becoming invisible from Earth, but will reemerge in early December and is expected to pass Jupiter in March 2026 before exiting the solar system permanently.
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