Both NASA and the European Space Agency are observing the 3I/ATLAS interstellar body as it journeys by Mars en route to the Sun and across the solar system.
The entity is considered a comet and represents just the third interstellar entity to be spotted inside our solar system, according to NASA.
NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover potentially photographed 3I/ATLAS, initially detected by scientists in July, during its Martian passage at a distance of 23.6 million miles from the Red Planet.
The right navigation camera aboard NASA’s rover captured visuals displaying a line of light against a bare cosmic setting.
Reported by NASA, astronomer Avi Loeb from Harvard University indicated the line likely stretches about 31,000 miles and resulted from layering hundreds of images obtained by the rover’s camera over roughly 10 minutes.
Loeb noted the object’s actual size is far smaller than what the 31,000-mile streak might imply.
NASA representatives have stated that verification is still needed to confirm the image’s identification as the 3I/ATLAS interstellar body.
The ESA also directed the cameras of a pair of Mars satellites toward the entity as it continued its Martian passage from Wednesday to Tuesday.
“Even as our Mars orbiters deliver outstanding contributions to Mars exploration, it’s particularly exciting to witness them react to unforeseen occurrences like this,” stated Colin Wilson, ESA project scientist overseeing the Mars orbiters.
“I am eager to see what the data uncovers after deeper analysis,” he added.
The ESA reports possessing images of the 3L/ATLAS interstellar entity, which approached within 18.64 million miles of the ESA’s Mars orbiters on Friday, affording them the clearest glimpse of the suspected comet.
The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter employed its Color and Stereo Surface Imaging System to gather a sequence of digital captures of the interstellar body.
The ESA’s Mars Express has similarly sought to image the probable comet utilizing its OMEGA and SPICAM spectrometers, however this effort has not yet been fruitful.
ESA representatives indicate they’ll have another chance to document the object from its Jupiter Icey Moons Explorer in November when 3I/ATLAS is near the Sun and its activity increases.
These recordings won’t be ready until February, and the ESA has scheduled a 2029 mission to intercept another “icy wanderer.”
The 2029 Comet Interceptor undertaking involves deploying an orbiter to a position where it can await the arrival of a comet originating from the Oort Cloud, surrounding the solar system, or another interstellar entrant, such as 3I/ATLAS.
Sourse: www.upi.com
