Scientists Race to Study Interstellar Comet from Deep Space
Comet 3I/ATLAS has become a key focus for scientists this year, marking only the third confirmed interstellar object to enter our solar system. Discovered on July 1, 2023, by the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in Chile, this comet is traveling at an astonishing speed of 137,000 miles per hour.
Background on Interstellar Comets
Comet 3I/ATLAS joins only two other interstellar visitors: 1I/‘Oumuamua from 2017 and Comet 2I/Borisov from 2019. Each of these celestial bodies offers unique insights into their origins outside our solar system.
Scientific Observations and Missions
After its discovery, researchers swiftly coordinated multiple missions to study 3I/ATLAS. NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) directed various spacecraft towards the comet. Missions aligned for observation included:
- Perseverance Mars Rover
- Curiosity Mars Rover
- Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
- Europa Clipper (heading to Jupiter)
- Lucy and Psyche Asteroid Missions
- Parker Solar Probe
- Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)
On October 3, 2023, ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter captured images of 3I/ATLAS from a distance of about 19 million miles. Despite challenges resulting from the U.S. government shutdown, early data indicated that the comet had significantly brightened in recent months.
Characteristics of Comet 3I/ATLAS
Initial observations confirmed that 3I/ATLAS is a comet with a characteristic coma—a vapor cloud created by heat from the sun. Researchers noted that the coma contains substantial amounts of frozen carbon dioxide, indicating that the comet may have formed far from its star, suggesting different comet formation processes in other solar systems.
The Current Status
As of late October, Comet 3I/ATLAS reached its closest point to the sun, known as perihelion, located over 125 million miles away. This distance changes rapidly, complicating observations. As it passed this pivotal point, scientists planned further observations from various spacecraft set to gather crucial data on its behavior.
Future Opportunities
Notably, ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission is scheduled to observe the comet in early November. Additionally, NASA’s Europa Clipper may pass directly through 3I/ATLAS’s ion tail between October 30 and November 6. This rare opportunity could yield unprecedented data on interstellar comets.
Scientists are excited about the prospect of analyzing the comet’s ion tail, formed from cosmic ices meeting solar wind. As they study these interstellar visitors, researchers aim to deepen our understanding of comet formation and how cosmic bodies from other star systems differ from those within our own.
