NASA revealed new images of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS

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."

Composition different from local comets

Ultraviolet studies detected unusual proportions of CO₂ and other volatiles. This suggests that the comet comes from an environment with chemical and thermal conditions very different from those of the solar system.

In addition, the intensity of the coma and the luminous structure of its tail indicate that 3I/ATLAS did not form in our cosmic neighborhood.

An interstellar visitor at its closest approach

The refined trajectory confirms that the closest approach to Earth will be on December 19, when it will pass at 274 million kilometers (170.3 million miles). This doesn't pose a risk, but it represents an exceptional scientific opportunity to analyze how solar radiation interacts with an exosolar object.

NASA highlighted that this is the first interstellar body studied so close to the Sun with heliophysics missions. This will allow its behavior to be compared with that of local comets and to deepen the understanding of its remote origin.