Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is about to be observed by the European Space Agency’s JUICE, a spacecraft with a mission focused on Jupiter’s icy moons: Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa. These moons are intriguing because they might host liquid oceans beneath their surfaces, raising questions about potential life beyond Earth.
JUICE is currently on a slow journey to Jupiter, not arriving until the early 2030s. This journey has placed it in a unique position to study 3I/ATLAS, which recently passed its closest point to the Sun, known as perihelion. This comet cannot be easily analyzed from Earth due to the Sun’s brightness.
Olivier Witasse, the ESA Project Scientist, remarked, “This observation was unexpected for everyone. We had not planned any payload activities during this cruise phase.” However, the chance to study the comet was deemed too valuable to pass up.
JUICE will take two sets of observations of 3I/ATLAS from about 64 million kilometers (39.8 million miles) away, which is roughly 0.428 astronomical units from Earth. Even at this distance, JUICE is equipped with advanced instruments, including a camera, a near-infrared imager, and more, to gather data on the comet.
The spacecraft will make its observations between November 2 and November 25, 2025. Witasse explained they will only be able to utilize remote sensing due to their distance. He added, “The data rate is very low for JUICE. We expect to download all the data by February 2026, so patience will be key.”
Interestingly, other ESA missions orbiting Mars have already observed the comet, which is helpful as it reaches its peak activity.
For those interested, social media buzz surrounding 3I/ATLAS has highlighted its rarity as the third known interstellar object to enter our Solar System. The excitement spans both the scientific community and amateur astronomers, with many eager to see how the observations unfold.
As time progresses, the comet will drift away from the Sun, improving visibility from Earth. This presents a unique opportunity for everyone to engage with this celestial event, underscoring the growing movement towards citizen science in astronomy.
For detailed insights into comet studies, check the European Space Agency for more information.
