NASA released a new image of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, obtained by the Europa Clipper probe during its journey to Jupiter.
The observation was made on November 6, 2025, when the spacecraft was about 164 million kilometers from the comet. The image, however, was released by NASA in December, after processing the data, and allowed the identification of gases and chemical elements that cannot be detected by conventional observation.
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A scientific observation during the trip to Jupiter
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Europa Clipper was launched in October 2024 with the primary objective of studying Europa, one of Jupiter’s largest moons, a mission that will formally begin in 2030.
However, its instruments are already operational and scientists took advantage of this transit phase to point towards comet 3I/ATLAS, an object from outside the Solar System.
What the image reveals in ultraviolet light
The photograph was obtained with the Europa-UVS instrument, an ultraviolet spectrograph designed to analyze wavelengths invisible to the human eye.
According to information cited by ‘BBC Sky Night Magazine’the capture was carried out over seven continuous hours, which allowed the composition of the comet’s coma to be studiedformed by gas and dust.
The photograph was obtained with the Europa-UVS instrument, an ultraviolet spectrograph Photo:Nasa
This type of analysis makes it possible to identify primitive materials that do not usually appear in traditional optical images, providing relevant data on the origin and evolution of interstellar bodies.
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A comet older than the Sun
Comet 3I/ATLAS was discovered on July 1, 2025 and is notable for not having formed in the solar system. Astronomers estimate that it has traveled through space for approximately 7 billion years, which would make it the oldest comet ever observed, even predating the Sun itself.
Its trajectory after the close pass to Earth
On December 19, 2025, the comet made a relative approach to Earth without posing danger. After that event, began to move away from the Sun, gradually reducing its activity and brightness, a common behavior for this type of objects.
The next milestone in its journey will be its approach to Jupiter, scheduled for March 2026. The planet’s strong gravity could slightly modify its trajectory, a phenomenon that will be monitored by scientists before 3I/ATLAS continues its final journey towards interstellar space.
El Comercio (Peru) / GDA.
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*This content was rewritten with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on information from El Comercio (GDA), and was reviewed by the journalist and an editor.
