NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft, which is currently on its way to Jupiter, provided unexpected help in the 3I/ATLAS research. The spectrograph operating in the ultraviolet range on board the probe observed the interstellar object at a moment when other instruments could no longer collect data on it, reports SciTech Daily.
Photo: OpenAI DALL-E
Observing 3I/ATLAS: astronomers had to act quickly
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3I/ATLAS is only the third object that has been proven to have come to us from another star system. After the discovery, the researchers quickly calculated the trajectory of the celestial body and found:
in November, the Europa Clipper will be in an ideal position for observation.
This was particularly important because the comet’s proximity to the Sun severely limited the capabilities of ground-based telescopes.
Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Plumes seen from an unusual angle
Comets usually grow two spectacular plumes: a dust plume that trails behind the celestial body, and a plasma plume that points in the opposite direction from the Sun.
The special feature of the Europa Clipper was that it could analyze these plumes from a special angle, so the researchers could simultaneously observe the comet’s nucleus and the gas cloud surrounding it, the so-called coma.
The value of the observations is further enhanced by the fact that the European Space Agency’s JUICE probe also collected data on the comet during the same period. This allows scientists to compare the structure of the plumes from different viewpoints and get a more accurate picture of their spatial arrangement.
Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI
Gases and atoms tell the story of the interstellar comet’s mysterious past
The instrument operating in the ultraviolet range also detected signs of oxygen, hydrogen and dust.
These data suggest that 3I/ATLAS went through an intense phase of gas emission shortly after its pass by the Sun.
The measurements help us understand what physical and chemical processes shaped this interstellar comet before it reached us.
What does the new information reveal about the origins of 3I/ATLAS?
According to the researchers, studying the composition of the comet can help us understand how celestial bodies form in other star systems. If it turns out that the processes were similar to the birth of the Solar System, it could fundamentally reshape the picture of our cosmic origins.
