US EditionESA's XMM-Newton Examines Comet 3I/ATLAS Prior to Closest Earth Passage Friday
Telescopes including Hubble and James Webb are collecting multi-wavelength data on interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS to study its ancient origin and composition, scientists say.
- On December 19th, ESA and NASA telescopes tracked 3I/ATLAS at its closest approach, recorded at 1.8 AU, while ESA's XMM-Newton captured it on December 3rd from about 283 million kilometers.
- Early this year, 3I/ATLAS was first spotted in early July 2025 and identified as an interstellar comet from the galactic thick disk, at least 7 billion years old.
- Hubble Space Telescope imaged the comet on Nov. 30, revealing a nucleus size estimate from about 1,400 feet to 3.5 miles and non-gravitational motion from outgassing as it heated near the Sun.
- This passage gives the world's scientists an unprecedented opportunity to study 3I/ATLAS material formed around another star, while small telescopes can observe it near Regulus through spring 2026.
- On a hyperbolic path, 3I/ATLAS will leave the solar system after its pass; Avi Loeb suggested it could be alien but later said it is "most likely a comet," while NASA's Nicola Fox said "we certainly haven't seen any technosignatures.
13 Articles
13 Articles
ESA's XMM-Newton Examines Comet 3I/ATLAS Prior to Closest Earth Passage Friday
Everyone’s favorite interstellar comet posed for one more portrait recently. The European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton mission nabbed 3I/ATLAS on December 3rd from about 283 million kilometers distant. This comes as the comet is set to make its closest passage versus Earth this coming Friday, on December 19th.
The mysterious interstellar comet 3i/Atlas that has caused intrigue since it was discovered by its composition never before seen, will have its closest point to the Earth on Friday, December 19, and on TV Azteca Quintan Roo we will share at what time and where you can see this phenomenon from Mexico. Since comet 3i/Atlas was discovered on July 1, 2025 by the ATLAS network (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) located in Chile, where it…
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