Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS and the Solar System’s Watchful Eyes
Right now, something extraordinary is passing through our cosmic neighborhood. An interstellar comet called 3I/ATLAS is making its way across the Solar System. This isn’t just any comet – it’s a relic from deep space, possibly a leftover from our galaxy’s distant past. But here’s the catch: from Earth, it’s about to vanish from sight. Its path will soon carry it behind the Sun, out of view of our ground-based telescopes, and we won’t see it again until December. And that’s a shame, because this is exactly when the comet is expected to be at its most active.
So how can scientists still keep track of it? Well, instead of launching a brand-new spacecraft—which would be impossible on such short notice—astronomers are turning to the fleet of spacecraft we already have scattered around the Solar System. These probes, orbiters, and rovers may be able to catch glimpses of this rare visitor from their unique vantage points.
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At Mars, spacecraft like NASA’s MAVEN and the UAE’s Hope mission will be on the lookout. They’re equipped with ultraviolet and infrared spectrometers that can detect gases released by comets. MAVEN has already proven capable of spotting a comet before, when it captured images of hydrogen gas around a different comet back in 2014. The European Space Agency is also preparing to point instruments on its Mars Express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter at 3I/ATLAS in October, to see if they can measure the light coming off the comet and learn more about its composition—even if the comet will appear as little more than a faint pixel.
Jupiter’s neighborhood might also provide a front-row seat. ESA’s Juice spacecraft, along with NASA’s Europa Clipper and Juno, could attempt observations as the comet brightens. Juice, in particular, is expected to try later this year, coordinating with other missions to compare data. Over by the Sun, spacecraft like Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter could also help. Parker, for instance, has already imaged comets before and may catch 3I/ATLAS as it swings close to the Sun this autumn.
What makes this comet so scientifically exciting is not just its rarity, but its possible origin. Researchers suggest that 3I/ATLAS may be a remnant from the Milky Way’s “cosmic noon,” a period 9 to 13 billion years ago when star formation was at its peak. If that’s true, it could be carrying with it clues about how stars and planets first formed, and even insights into the early chemistry that set the stage for life.
What’s fascinating is that humanity now has so many spacecraft spread throughout the Solar System that, even when a comet slips out of Earth’s view, it doesn’t slip away completely. From Mars to Jupiter, and from orbiters near the Sun to probes heading toward distant asteroids, our robotic explorers give us eyes everywhere. And thanks to them, this brief visit from an ancient wanderer of the galaxy won’t go unnoticed.
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