NASA Shares New Views of Interstellar Comet
Cape Canaveral, Fla. – NASA has released new close-up images of a comet from another star system that is briefly visiting our solar system.
The comet, named 3I/Atlas, was first seen this summer. It is only the third object ever confirmed to have come from outside our solar system. Last month, it safely passed by Mars.
NASA spacecraft around Mars, along with satellites from the European Space Agency, observed the comet as it passed within 18 million miles (29 million kilometers) of the planet. The comet appeared as a blurry, white object in the images.
Other NASA telescopes, including the Webb Space Telescope, will continue to watch the comet in the coming weeks. Astronomers on Earth are also using their telescopes to study the comet, which is currently about 190 million miles (307 million kilometers) from Earth.
The comet can be seen from Earth before sunrise with binoculars or a telescope.
According to NASA’s acting astrophysics director, Shawn Domagal-Goldman, many people want to look at the comet because it’s a rare chance to see something special.
The comet will be closest to Earth in mid-December, at a distance of 167 million miles (269 million kilometers). After that, it will head back into interstellar space and never return.
The European Space Agency’s Juice spacecraft, which is heading to Jupiter, has been testing its cameras on the comet this month. Scientists will get the data from these observations in February.
The comet, named after the telescope in Chile that discovered it, is estimated to be between 1,444 feet (440 meters) and 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) wide. Scientists believe that this fast-moving comet may have come from a star system that is older than our own.
According to NASA scientist Tom Statler, 3I/Atlas gives us a glimpse into another solar system and into the distant past, even before Earth and our sun were formed.
NASA officials addressed rumors that the comet could be an alien ship, assuring the public that 3I/Atlas is simply a comet. The space agency continues its search for life beyond Earth.
