Tag: comet composition
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Interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS nears Earth for its closest pass on Dec. 19
What is 3I/ATLAS? The object known as 3I/ATLAS is an interstellar comet—an icy traveler that did not originate in our solar system. Discovered on July 1 by the ATLAS (All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae) program, this comet entered our planetary neighborhood on a hyperbolic trajectory, meaning it is not gravitationally bound to the Sun and…
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Comet 3I/ATLAS Brightens and Turns Green as It Nears Earth: A Glimpse into Interstellar Origins
Interstellar Visitor 3I/ATLAS Changes Color on Approach In a striking display for astronomers around the globe, the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has begun emitting a vivid green glow as it nears Earth. The unusual coloration, detected by multiple observatories, signals a dramatic transformation in the coma—the glowing envelope surrounding the nucleus—as volatile ices and dust grains…
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3I/ATLAS: How Mars and Jupiter Probes Are Studying the Interstellar Comet
Interstellar visitor arrives: 3I/ATLAS in our planetary backyard The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has captured the attention of planetary scientists as it barrels through the inner solar system. First spotted in July 2025 by an ATLAS telescope in Chile, the object became only the third known interstellar traveler to visit our cosmic neighborhood. Its extrasolar origin…
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Interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS to be studied by Mars and Jupiter probes this month
Overview: A Rare Interstellar Visitor in Our Solar System The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has captured the attention of space agencies around the world as it speeds through our solar system. First spotted in July 2025 by the ATLAS telescope in Chile, 3I/ATLAS is only the third known interstellar object to pass through our cosmic neighborhood.…
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Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Heads Toward Perihelion with Multi-Mission Watch
Interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS sparks a coordinated, multi-mission observing campaign The skies over our solar system are briefly hosting a visitor from beyond. Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS was first spotted in July 2025 by the ATLAS telescope network in Chile, marking it as the third known object from outside our solar neighborhood to sail through the inner…