NEW YORK CITY — The Hubble Space Telescope has recently captured stunning images of a comet from outside our solar system, known as Comet 3I/ATLAS. Discovered in July, this comet is fascinating for its origins, and it’s only the third interstellar object we’ve ever detected.
Astronomers have turned their attention to 3I/ATLAS as it approaches Earth this month. The telescope provided its first insights into the comet’s unique teardrop shape and has helped track its path. Observations during its close pass by the sun revealed much about its composition. Scientists learned about the gases that evaporated from the comet when it heated up.
On November 30, Hubble took another look at 3I/ATLAS when it was about 178 million miles (286 million kilometers) away. With its Wide Field Camera 3, Hubble delivered even sharper images.
Similarly, the European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or Juice, is also monitoring the comet from a distance. Launched in April 2023, Juice is heading to explore Jupiter’s three largest moons—Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa—believed to have subsurface oceans that may support life. The spacecraft is expected to arrive at Jupiter in July 2031.
For now, Juice had a great view of 3I/ATLAS from around 41 million miles (66 million kilometers) away. The spacecraft used several instruments, including its Navigation Camera, or NavCam, to capture some data. While the main information won’t be sent back until February due to its heat shield, the team quickly downloaded a part of a single image.
This image shows the comet’s coma, a glowing layer of gas, and two distinct tails: one made of charged plasma and another of dust. Usually, comets have both types of tails, formed as they get closer to the sun.
3I/ATLAS is set to come within 167 million miles (270 million kilometers) of Earth on December 19, but there’s no danger as it will be positioned safely behind the sun. To put that in perspective, Earth is about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) from the sun. The comet will continue to be visible to telescopes for several months before it sails out of our solar system.
The additional data from Juice, expected between February 18 and 20, will include images from its high-resolution camera and details about the comet’s composition. This could help us understand more about where this intriguing object came from and how it fits into the broader picture of our universe.
Comets like 3I/ATLAS remind us just how dynamic and wild our cosmic neighborhood really is. They spark curiosity and inspire both scientists and the public to look up and wonder about the wonders beyond our planet.
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