Mon Nov 24 08:00:00 UTC 2025: Summary:
NASA missions, including SOHO, MAVEN, Perseverance, HiRISE, PUNCH, Lucy, STEREO, Psyche, SPHEREx, James Webb Space Telescope, and Hubble, have captured various images and data of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it traversed our solar system. The observations include images of the comet’s coma, tail, and trajectory. 3I/ATLAS was initially discovered on July 1, 2025, by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope in Chile, which determined its interstellar origin.
News Article:
NASA Missions Unite to Capture Stunning Images of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS
Washington, D.C. – A fleet of NASA spacecraft, ranging from Mars rovers to deep-space telescopes, have joined forces to observe the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS during its recent journey through our solar system. The space agency has released a stunning collection of images and data showcasing the comet’s unique characteristics and trajectory.
3I/ATLAS was first identified on July 1, 2025, by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope in Chile. Astronomers quickly recognized its interstellar origin, making it only the second such object ever observed passing through our celestial neighborhood.
Since its discovery, NASA missions have been eagerly tracking the comet. The ESA/NASA SOHO mission provided early glimpses, while the MAVEN spacecraft at Mars captured images of the comet’s coma, the halo of gas and dust surrounding its nucleus. Perseverance, the Mars rover, took a break from its surface exploration to photograph 3I/ATLAS, and the HiRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter observed it from a distance of 18.6 million miles.
Further out in the solar system, the PUNCH mission documented the comet’s tail, while the Lucy spacecraft, en route to the Trojan asteroids, spotted 3I/ATLAS from a staggering 240 million miles away. The STEREO mission, Psyche spacecraft, SPHEREx mission, James Webb Space Telescope and Hubble added their perspectives, and captured observations of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS.
The observations are providing valuable insights into the composition and behavior of interstellar objects, offering a glimpse into star systems beyond our own. NASA has also released animations illustrating the comet’s path through the solar system, created using the “NASA Eyes on the Solar System” interactive 3D visualization tool.
“This coordinated effort highlights the power of collaborative science and the diverse capabilities of NASA’s missions,” said a NASA spokesperson. “These observations are helping us learn more about the origins of comets and the nature of interstellar space.”
The complete collection of images and videos of comet 3I/ATLAS is available for viewing and download on the NASA website.
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