Rare Visitor Offers New Insights Into Ancient Cosmic Material
A remarkable astronomical event has captured the attention of scientists worldwide as the comet 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar object, was recently photographed passing near Mars. These unprecedented images, taken by NASA’s Perseverance rover and two European Space Agency (ESA) orbiters, provide a rare look at one of the universe’s most mysterious visitors.
The 3I/ATLAS, officially known as 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 M1), is the third interstellar object ever detected, following the discoveries of ʻOumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019. Scientists say it may be over three billion years older than our Solar System, making it a potential key to understanding the early universe.
The Observation: A Technical Triumph
Between October 1 and 7, 2025, ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and Mars Express turned their high-resolution cameras toward deep space, capturing faint images of 3I/ATLAS as it moved past Mars, approximately 30 million kilometers away.
The CaSSIS instrument aboard the TGO recorded a series of images showing a small white dot — the comet’s icy nucleus — surrounded by a glowing cloud of gas and dust, known as the coma.
Although the comet’s nucleus is only about one kilometer in diameter, scientists successfully identified it despite its faintness — up to 100,000 times dimmer than typical targets observed by the TGO.
ESA researcher Nick Thomas described it as one of the most challenging detections ever attempted, comparing it to “spotting a cellphone on the Moon from Earth.”
What Makes 3I/ATLAS So Special?
Unlike typical comets that originate within our Solar System, 3I/ATLAS comes from beyond the Sun’s gravitational influence, traveling through interstellar space for eons before crossing into our system.
As it approaches the Sun, solar radiation heats its icy surface, creating the coma and eventually forming a tail — though the tail has not yet fully appeared in current observations.
Astronomers are particularly interested in analyzing the light spectrum emitted by the comet to determine its chemical composition, which could offer clues about materials that formed in other star systems billions of years ago.
Future Missions to Observe 3I/ATLAS
The European Space Agency plans to continue tracking 3I/ATLAS over the coming months. In November 2025, the JUICE spacecraft is expected to perform additional observations as the comet nears its closest approach to the Sun.
In the long term, ESA’s Comet Interceptor mission — set to launch in 2029 — aims to study pristine or newly discovered interstellar comets like 3I/ATLAS. These missions could revolutionize our understanding of planetary formation and cosmic evolution.
A Window Into the Universe’s Past
Scientists believe studying interstellar comets such as 3I/ATLAS may reveal what other planetary systems are made of, offering a glimpse into how life-supporting materials could spread across the galaxy.
According to ESA scientist Colin Wilson, “It’s exciting to see our orbiters — usually focused on Mars — respond to rare, unplanned events like this. It’s a reminder of how dynamic and interconnected our Solar System really is.”
Conclusion
The 3I/ATLAS comet’s flyby near Mars marks another milestone in space exploration, blending human ingenuity with cosmic wonder. As data continues to arrive from NASA and ESA, astronomers anticipate groundbreaking insights into how interstellar objects evolve, travel, and interact with our Solar System.
For now, 3I/ATLAS remains both a scientific puzzle and a poetic reminder of how vast — and beautifully mysterious — our universe truly is.
Stay Updated on Space and Tech Discoveries
Follow Startup News for daily updates on space technology, astronomy, and innovation from around the world.
