NASA Captures Unprecedented Views of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS with Multi-Probe Observations
WASHINGTON – NASA and international partners have released a series of new images and data of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, captured by a diverse fleet of spacecraft ranging from Mars rovers to solar observatories and probes en route to Jupiter. The observations offer a unique opportunity to study a visitor from beyond our solar system,providing clues about the formation and composition of planetary systems around othre stars.
While the Mars rover Perseverance spotted 3I/ATLAS as a faint,elongated spot of light,other missions secured more detailed views. Solar observatories STEREO and SOHO, positioned approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth at Lagrange point 1, tracked the comet as it passed behind the Sun – a first for these missions, which have historically focused on solar activity. NASA explains this marks the first time these solar probes have specifically targeted an extrasolar object.
The NASA probe Lucy, currently traveling to the Trojan asteroids of Jupiter, captured images showcasing the cometS tail. Meanwhile, the Psyche asteroid probe obtained images from around 50 million kilometers away, aiding in refining the comet’s trajectory.
Currently, the ESA’s JUICE spacecraft is ideally positioned to conduct a closer examination of 3I/ATLAS, passing within approximately 60 million kilometers.The JUICE team activated onboard instruments to analyze particles released by the comet, potentially revealing insights into its origins.
These combined observations represent a important step forward in understanding interstellar objects and the materials they carry from distant star systems.
November 20,2025 - Nadja Podbregar (Source: NASA,Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
