NASA has unveiled stunning pictures of an interstellar comet passing through our solar system. Referred to as 3I/Atlas, this comet is just the third confirmed object to journey into our solar system from another star. The space agency showcased images of the comet at a press briefing held on Wednesday.
Numerous NASA spacecraft near Mars captured images of the comet as it traversed through space, coming within approximately 18 million miles of the spacecraft. Presently, the comet is about 190 million miles away from Earth and is anticipated to approach as close as 167 million miles in mid-December before heading back into interstellar space.
Gianluca Masi from the Virtual Telescope Project also focused on the comet, which was initially spotted this summer, during an observation from Italy today. The comet can additionally be viewed from Earth in the early morning sky using binoculars.
Tom Statler, the lead scientist for solar system small bodies at NASA, informed Live Science that these images are mostly unprocessed and include observations that the scientific community will analyze for years to come.
Named after the telescope in Chile that first sighted it, 3I/Atlas has triggered online conspiracy theories speculating it might be a spacecraft. Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb initially proposed the idea but later acknowledged that the object is most likely a natural comet. Despite this, the theory garnered significant attention online, even prompting celebrity Kim Kardashian to inquire with NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy for details about 3I/Atlas. Duffy, appointed by President Donald Trump, reassured there were no aliens or threats to Earth.
During the recent press conference, NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya dispelled rumors regarding 3I/Atlas’ origins, emphasizing that all indications suggest it is a natural comet from another star system.
The European Space Agency’s Juice spacecraft has been focusing its cameras and instruments on the comet throughout the month, as it is anticipated to be highly active. However, scientists might not obtain the observations until February due to the spacecraft’s main antenna serving as a heat shield while in proximity to the Sun, limiting data transmission, as stated by the agency.