NASA has presented for the first time the unreleased images of comet 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar visitor that has been generating speculation since its detection. The agency showcased them in a broadcast from the Goddard Center, where it explained the material obtained by different missions.
The agency has once again confirmed that the object displays behavior that is entirely consistent with a natural comet.
Unreleased images and an expected confirmation
The space agency showed the best capture achieved so far: an image taken on October 2 by the HiRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Although a defined tail pointing away from the Sun is not observed, specialists assured that it is a comet of natural origin.
NASA and ESA emphasized that observations from Hubble and James Webb reveal a body between 440 meters (1,444 feet) and 5.6 kilometers (3.48 miles) in size.
Debunking theories: "There is nothing anomalous"
One of the project's researchers replied to the extraordinary hypotheses circulating on social media. She explained that she understands the interest in these objects, but that the spectral and photometric data are compelling: "We were able to quickly confirm that it was a comet."
