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Summary:

NASA and ESA have released new images of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it approaches its closest point to Earth on December 19th. These images, captured by the Hubble Space Telescope and the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) orbiter, reveal a very active comet, brightly illuminated by the sun, and emitting significant amounts of gas and dust. The images provide insights into the comet’s nucleus, coma, and developing tails. The data collected by these missions, as well as observations from other spacecraft and telescopes, contribute to our understanding of this rare interstellar visitor.

News Article:

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Puts on a Show as NASA and ESA Share Stunning New Images

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS hurtles toward its closest approach to Earth on December 19th, NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have released captivating new images of the celestial visitor. The images showcase the comet’s increasing activity and brightness as it interacts with the sun.

Discovered in June and confirmed as the third known interstellar object, 3I/ATLAS has been traveling through our solar system at a breakneck speed of 130,000 mph. While it already passed Mars and the sun in October, its closest encounter with Earth, a safe 170 million miles away, is just around the corner.

The Hubble Space Telescope captured an image on November 30th showing the comet’s nucleus and coma, the bright atmosphere of gas and dust surrounding the nucleus. The image also faintly reveals the effects of solar radiation pushing gas into a tail. Scientists estimate the comet’s size to be between 1,400 feet and 3.5 miles wide, potentially making it the largest interstellar object observed to date.

Meanwhile, ESA’s Juice orbiter, on its journey to Jupiter, also snapped an image of 3I/ATLAS on November 2nd. Located closer to the comet than Hubble at the time, Juice’s image reveals a vibrant coma and hints of both a plasma tail and a dust tail. The agency’s spokesperson said that the plasma tail is “made up of electrically charged gas, stretches out towards the top of the frame” while a fainter dust tail “made up of tiny solid particles — stretching to the lower left of the frame.” Full data from Juice’s observation won’t be available until 2026 due to communication limitations during its journey.

These images join a wealth of data being collected by a variety of space-based and ground-based observatories, including the James Webb Space Telescope, offering scientists an unprecedented opportunity to study an object from beyond our solar system. These ongoing observations promise to reveal new insights into the composition and behavior of interstellar comets, ultimately broadening our understanding of the universe beyond our solar system.

“Every observation matters,” said Live Science’s Brandon who is also a Space/Physics editor, highlighting the importance of the data being collected. The influx of data will contribute significantly to understanding the nature and origins of these enigmatic cosmic travelers.

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