Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has spent the past several months touring our solar system. NASA spacecraft and telescopes have photographed this celestial visitor during its journey, and after weeks of anticipation, the agency has finally unveiled these never-before-seen images.
During a press conference held at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, on Wednesday, agency scientists displayed some of the best images from 3I/ATLAS that were captured by various NASA space-based missions, including the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the Lucy spacecraft and even the Perseverance Mars rover.
“For the first time, NASA’s science team has tracked 3I/ATLAS throughout almost its entire journey through the solar system,” Nikki Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, said during the briefing. “There will be more opportunities to see this comet as it continues its journey through the solar system, passing Jupiter’s orbit in the spring of 2026.”
3i/Atlas’ journey in pictures
Ever since the ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Late Warning System) observatory discovered 3I/ATLAS on July 1, the comet has captured the attention of astronomers and Kardashians alike. 3I/ATLAS hails from beyond our solar system, and is only the third interstellar object we have ever observed.
When an interstellar comet passes through our cosmic neighborhood, it provides astronomers with an exceptionally rare opportunity to study a sample from a distant star system. These objects provide direct insight into the formation, evolution, and structure of distant worlds that spacecraft cannot reach.
Once astronomers confirmed that 3I/ATLAS was interstellar, the scientific community sprang into action, using every tool at their disposal to unravel the mysteries of this comet. Preliminary observations revealed that 3I/ATLAS may be the oldest comet ever discovered and that it is larger and faster than the two previously known interstellar objects.
As 3I/ATLAS moved toward our Sun, observations of its expanding coma and tail revealed more of its features. Using the James Webb Space Telescope’s Near-Infrared Spectroscopic (NIRSpec) instrument, astronomers found evidence to suggest that 3I/ATLAS is unusually rich in carbon dioxide, indicating that it likely formed under conditions far different from our corner of the galaxy.
The comet disappeared from Earth’s sight in late September as it was lost in the Sun’s glare. But several of NASA’s Mars spacecraft caught glimpses of 3I/ATLAS as it flew within 19 million miles (30 million kilometers) of the red planet in early October.
That fly-by produced some of the images shared today by NASA, including the one above, which was taken by the MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) spacecraft. It shows the ultraviolet emission of 3I/ATLAS divided into three distinct bands or wavelengths corresponding to the different elements making up its composition. The image below, taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows the comet’s hazy coma. 3I/ATLAS’s approach to Mars not only yielded these new images but also helped astronomers refine the comet’s location and trajectory.
After 3I/ATLAS passed by Mars, the SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) spacecraft imaged the comet between October 15 and 16. SOHO observed the comet from about 222 million miles (357 million kilometers) away. At such a great distance, astronomers did not expect the spacecraft to be able to see 3I/ATLAS, but the image below was created using detailed image stacking of subsequent telescope images.
3I/ATLAS reached perihelion—closest point to the Sun—in late October. The comet swung behind our home star and emerged earlier this month. It is now once again visible from Earth, and according to NASA, skywatchers with backyard telescopes will be able to see 3I/ATLAS in the pre-dawn sky until spring 2026.
What’s next for 3I/ATLAS?
3I/ATLAS will make its closest approach to Earth on Dec. 19, coming within 170 million miles (273 million kilometers) of our planet. This proximity will allow ground-based telescopes to make the most detailed observations of 3I/ATLAS yet – and hopefully produce another batch of stunning images.
On its way out of the Solar System, 3I/ATLAS will fly even closer to Jupiter in March 2026. Astronomers have proposed adjusting the trajectory of NASA’s Juno spacecraft – which has been orbiting Jupiter since 2016 – to deflect the comet’s path. Juno’s suite of instruments may reveal new details about the structure of 3I/ATLAS, helping us better understand the conditions of the system from which it originated.
After the Jupiter flyby, it won’t take long for 3I/ATLAS to leave our solar system forever. But as the distance decreases, this interstellar comet will leave behind a wealth of data that astronomers will continue to sift through for years to come.