European Mars Orbiter Captures Stunning Images of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Racing by the Red Planet!

A European Mars probe recently captured stunning images of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it zipped past Mars. On October 3, the comet came within 19 million miles (about 30 million kilometers) of the planet. The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) from the European Space Agency (ESA) photographed the comet using its Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS).

Capturing the comet was not easy. Nick Thomas, the principal investigator for CaSSIS, shared that 3I/ATLAS was between 10,000 to 100,000 times fainter than the usual targets they observe. This added a layer of challenge to the mission.

3I/ATLAS was first spotted in July by the ATLAS telescope in Chile. The “3I” in its name marks it as the third confirmed interstellar object to pass through our solar system. The first two were 1I/’Oumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019.

Astronomers are especially curious about interstellar comets. These visitors carry unique information about distant places beyond our solar system. ESA officials noted that every comet, moon, and planet in our solar system shares a common origin. In contrast, interstellar comets like 3I/ATLAS bring clues about worlds that formed billions of years ago. In fact, astronomers suspect this comet is around three billion years older than our solar system.

ESA’s Mars Express orbiter also attempted to observe 3I/ATLAS on the same day. However, the images were not clear, partly due to a much shorter exposure time compared to the TGO. Colin Wilson, a project scientist for both Mars Express and TGO, expressed excitement about these unexpected observations and looks forward to analyzing the data.

More spacecraft will look for 3I/ATLAS in the coming months. Notably, ESA’s JUICE probe, which is heading to Jupiter, will begin its observations on November 2, just a few days after the comet’s closest approach to the Sun. During that time, 3I/ATLAS is expected to be more active, providing a better chance for detailed analysis.

This mission highlights how advancements in space exploration make it possible to explore objects that were once just distant speculations. The curiosity surrounding interstellar comets sparks discussions about our understanding of the universe and its history. As we gather more data, we’ll get closer to unraveling the mysteries of these celestial wanderers.

For more in-depth details, you can check the ESA’s official observations [here](https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/ESA_s_ExoMars_and_Mars_Express_observe_comet_3I_ATLAS).

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