Tag: 3I/ATLAS
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ESA’s Mars Watch Captures Interstellar Visitor 3I/ATLAS in Glimpse of the Unknown
Rare Interstellar Visitor Reaches the Mars Scene On October 3, a rare interstellar visitor, comet 3I/ATLAS, passed by Mars at a distance of about 30 million kilometers. While comets are common in our solar neighborhood, 3I/ATLAS is extraordinary because it originated outside the Sun’s gravity, offering a priceless glimpse into material from another star system.…
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Interstellar Visitor Lights Up Mars Sky: First Close Look by ESA Orbiters
Rare Interstellar Visitor Captured by Mars Orbiters In a landmark moment for planetary science and astronomy, an interstellar comet—3I/ATLAS—passed close to Mars on October 3, offering a rare glimpse from Earth’s neighboring planet. The event marked only the third time humanity has observed a true interstellar object, following 1I/ʻOumuamua (2017) and 2I/Borisov (2019). As the…
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Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Spotted by ESA Orbiters
Rare Interstellar Visitor Reaches the Red Planet’s Sky On October 3, Mars-time turned astronomers’ attention to an extraordinary event: an interstellar visitor, comet 3I/ATLAS, swept through the inner Solar System and made a notably close approach to Mars. For the European Space Agency (ESA), this was a rare opportunity to test the limits of their…
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Polarization of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS vs Solar System Comets: A Comparative Analysis
Introduction Polarimetric measurements are a powerful tool for diagnosing the microphysics of dust in cometary comae. Recent work by Z. Gray and colleagues reports extended polarimetric data for the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, offering a rare window into the dust composition and scattering behavior of an object that traverses interstellar space before entering the solar system.…
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Polarization Comparison: 3I/ATLAS Interstellar Comet vs Distant Solar System Comets
Overview: Polarimetric insights into 3I/ATLAS Recent measurements of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, reported by Z. Gray and colleagues, provide a unique window into the microphysics of dust in an extrasolar environment. By extending the polarimetric phase function over a broad range of phase angles, the study constrains the real part of the refractive index of…
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Polarization Parallels: Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS and Distant Solar System Comets
Overview Recent polarimetric measurements of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, as reported by Z. Gray and colleagues, offer a surprising parallel with distant solar system comets. The analysis indicates that the microphysical properties of dust in the coma of 3I/ATLAS are not demonstrably different from those of far-flung comets within our own solar system. This finding…
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Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Shows Water Emission Far from the Sun, Hinting at Life-Building Molecules Crossing the Galaxy
Interstellar Guest 3I/ATLAS Delivers Surprising Water Signatures In a landmark discovery, the interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS has shown measurable signs of water, challenging assumptions about how water and the ingredients of life might move through the galaxy. As the third known object to enter our solar system from another star, 3I/ATLAS is no longer just a…
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Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Reveals Water Far From the Sun, Hinting at Life’s Galactic Travel
Water on an Interstellar Visitor: A Surprising Find In a watershed moment for planetary science, researchers confirmed that the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is releasing water even when it is far from the Sun. This is only the third known object to travel here from another star system, and its activity challenges assumptions about where and…
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Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS reveals water far from the Sun
Unveiling a cosmic traveler: 3I/ATLAS The interstellar visitor known as 3I/ATLAS has surprised scientists by showing signs of water activity while still far from the warmth of the Sun. As the third confirmed object to journey into our solar system from another star, 3I/ATLAS is offering a rare glimpse into the chemistry of worlds beyond…
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Comet 3I/ATLAS Flies Past Mars: ESA Captures Interstellar Visitor in Stunning Images
Interstellar Visitor 3I/ATLAS Makes a Close Mars Flyby The rare interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has once again captured the imagination of space enthusiasts and scientists alike as two European Space Agency (ESA) orbiters around Mars recorded fresh imagery during its closest approach to the Red Planet. Discovered as the third object known to originate from outside…