NASA finally investigates the origins of 3I/ATLAS

After a long With the US government shutdown, NASA has finally put its unnecessary work behind it. It starts with a bang: The agency held a press conference to show its archived images of the 3I/ATLAS interstellar mass. NASA scientists also confirmed that 3I/ATLAS is indeed a comet, contrary to speculation about alien technology that has flooded the Internet.

During the broadcast, a panel of scientists presented the results of observations obtained by various NASA missions at various points in the 3I/ATLAS journey. Each provides insights into the infrared, visible, ultraviolet, and gamma-ray spectra, providing a better understanding of the true nature of 3I/ATLAS.

Among the most relevant data are images taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and MAVEN satellites, as well as images from the Psyche and Lucy space probes and even from the solar probe SOHO. The scientists specified that all the data would be made publicly available for anyone to examine.

3I/ATLAS images shared by NASA

Figure 3I/ATLAS as seen by the SOHO solar probe.

Lowell Observatory / Qicheng Zhang / NASA

SOHO: An image of the Sun Monitoring Probe

This orange photo was taken by NASA. The SOHO probe, which observes the Sun, managed to capture 3I/ATLAS between October 15 and 26. According to the agency, the picture was surprising. They did not expect this object to be seen from a distance of 358 million kilometers.

3I/ATLAS as seen from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

NASA

MRO: One of the best 3I/ATLAS close-ups

One of the most anticipated images of the comet is the one obtained by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in October, when 3I/ATLAS came within “only” 29 million km. NASA finally shared it. This image shows the frozen body surrounded by a characteristic cloud of dust thrown up by the comet’s approach to the Sun.

NASA’s STEREO (Solar-Terrestrial Relations Observatory) observed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS from September 11 to October 25.

NASA/Lowell Observatory/Kicheng Zhang

Stereo: Photograph confirming Figure 3I/ATLAS

STEREO observatory analyzes the behavior of the sun. To get at least one coherent image of the comet, the scientists had to put together several pictures taken at different exposures. In the end, the interstellar object was revealed as a bright orb against a noisy background.

An image of the 3I/ATLAS water signature taken by the MAVEN satellite.

NASA

MAVEN: A Glimpse of Comet Hydrogen

MAVEN is a Mars Orbiter. Its lens captured this 3I/ATLAS ultraviolet spectrum image before it reached its closest approach to the Red Planet. It shows hydrogen emitted from different sources. The left part belongs to the comet signature.

This movie shows PUNCH observations of comet 3I/ATLAS from September 28 to October 10, 2025.

NASA/Instituto de Investigación del Suroeste

Punch: Another look at the sun

PUNCH is a polarimeter that monitors the Sun’s corona and heliosphere. However, its lenses allowed visualization of the comet’s tail for weeks from October to September. In this animation, each frame represents a daily snapshot, while the streaks in the background are generated by the motion of the stars.

On December 19, 2025, the comet will make its closest approach to Earth. It will pass at a perfectly safe distance: about 267 million kilometers away. To put that in perspective, that’s roughly 700 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon and 1.8 times the distance between our planet and the Sun. This flight will have no effect on the ground.

NASA and other space agencies are expected to launch more observational campaigns to get better pictures and related information about the third confirmed interstellar object in history.

This story appeared first wired Spanish en and translated from Spanish.