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NASA and ESA Capture Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Ahead of December Flyby

NASA and ESA Capture Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Ahead of December Flyby

NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have released new images of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, showcasing its active state as it approaches a close flyby of Earth in December. The comet, first observed in July, is notable for originating from outside our solar system, making it only the third such object ever detected. The Hubble Space Telescope captured images of the comet from 178 million miles away, revealing a bright appearance due to its surrounding gas and dust. ESA's Juice spacecraft also observed the comet, noting its activity as it passed close to the sun.

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS to Safely Pass Earth, Offering Unique Observation Opportunity

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS to Safely Pass Earth, Offering Unique Observation Opportunity

Comet 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar object, is set to pass by Earth safely on December 19, 2025. This comet, only the third of its kind observed in our solar system, will remain at a safe distance of approximately 170 million miles from Earth. Discovered on July 1, 2025, 3I/ATLAS has been closely monitored by astronomers using various telescopes, including NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The comet's passage offers a rare chance for scientists to study its characteristics and behavior before it continues its journey out of the solar system.

Comet 3I/ATLAS Approaches Earth: A Rare Interstellar Visitor with No Threat

Comet 3I/ATLAS Approaches Earth: A Rare Interstellar Visitor with No Threat

Comet 3I/ATLAS, designated C/2025 N1 (ATLAS), is the third confirmed interstellar object to pass through our solar system. Recently, it has been observed with a faint green glow, attributed to diatomic carbon in its coma. This comet, discovered by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope, is on a hyperbolic trajectory, indicating it will not be captured by the Sun's gravity and will return to interstellar space. On December 19, 2025, it will make its closest approach to Earth, at a safe distance of about 1.8 astronomical units, or 270 million kilometers. The comet's interaction with the solar wind is being studied through X-ray observations by missions such as Japan's XRISM and ESA's XMM-Newton, providing insights into its composition and behavior.

Comet 3I/ATLAS Exhibits New Green Glow and X-Ray Emissions as It Approaches Earth

Comet 3I/ATLAS Exhibits New Green Glow and X-Ray Emissions as It Approaches Earth

Comet 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar visitor, is drawing attention with its new green glow and X-ray emissions as it nears its closest approach to Earth on December 19, 2025. This comet, only the third confirmed interstellar object to pass through our solar system, was first detected in July 2025. Recent observations from the Gemini North telescope and ESA's XMM-Newton have revealed a brightening and greenish hue, attributed to gases released by solar heating. Additionally, X-ray emissions have been detected, suggesting interactions between the comet's gases and the solar wind. These findings provide a unique opportunity to study the composition and behavior of an interstellar comet.

NASA's Fermi Telescope Records Longest Gamma-Ray Burst, GRB 250702B, from 8 Billion Light-Years Away

NASA's Fermi Telescope Records Longest Gamma-Ray Burst, GRB 250702B, from 8 Billion Light-Years Away

NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has recorded the longest-duration gamma-ray burst (GRB) ever observed, named GRB 250702B. This event, detected on July 2, 2025, lasted over seven hours and originated from a massive galaxy 8 billion light-years away in the constellation Scutum. The burst is believed to have launched a narrow jet of material traveling at 99% the speed of light towards the solar system. The event was challenging to analyze due to the thick dust in its host galaxy, which blocked visible light, leaving only infrared and high-energy X-ray wavelengths detectable. Researchers utilized various telescopes, including the Gemini telescopes, the Very Large Telescope, the Keck Observatory, and the Hubble Space Telescope, to study the burst's afterglow and origin.

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS to Safely Pass Earth, Offering Unique Study Opportunity

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS to Safely Pass Earth, Offering Unique Study Opportunity

The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is set to pass by Earth on December 19, maintaining a safe distance of about 170 million miles. This event provides astronomers with a rare chance to study a comet from outside our solar system. Discovered in July, 3I/ATLAS is only the third known interstellar object to visit our solar system. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and ESA's JUICE spacecraft have captured images of the comet, revealing its active state as it approaches the sun. The comet's icy core is surrounded by a cloud of dust, and its activity has increased due to solar heating.

NASA and ESA Capture Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS in New Images Ahead of December Flyby

NASA and ESA Capture Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS in New Images Ahead of December Flyby

NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have released new images of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, showcasing its glowing activity as it approaches Earth. The comet, which originated from outside our solar system, is set to pass by Earth on December 19 at a safe distance of approximately 170 million miles. This event marks a rare opportunity for scientists to study a comet from another star system. The Hubble Space Telescope captured images of the comet on November 30, revealing its small solid core surrounded by a larger, brighter cloud of gas and dust. ESA's Juice spacecraft also observed the comet's activity, noting the effects of the sun's heat on its gaseous and dusty tails.

NASA's Hubble Captures Rare Star Transformation in Calabash Nebula

NASA's Hubble Captures Rare Star Transformation in Calabash Nebula

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured a rare astronomical event involving the Calabash Nebula. The image reveals a low-mass star undergoing a rapid transformation from a red giant to a planetary nebula. During this process, the star expels its outer layers of gas and dust into space at high speeds, with the gas moving at nearly a million kilometers per hour. This phase of stellar evolution is seldom observed due to its brief duration in astronomical terms. The nebula is expected to evolve into a fully-fledged planetary nebula over the next thousand years.

ESA's XMM-Newton Captures Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS in X-Ray Light, Revealing New Insights

ESA's XMM-Newton Captures Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS in X-Ray Light, Revealing New Insights

On December 12, 2025, the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton observatory released an X-ray image of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, marking a significant observation as the comet approaches its closest point to Earth on December 19. The X-ray view, alongside new images from the Gemini North telescope showing a green glow, highlights the comet's evolving behavior as it moves away from the Sun. The green hue is attributed to gas emissions, particularly diatomic carbon, a common phenomenon in active comets. The X-ray observations are crucial as they can detect gases like molecular hydrogen and nitrogen, which are challenging to measure with optical instruments. This data is vital for understanding the composition of interstellar objects, especially in light of past debates about the unusual ices in the first interstellar visitor, 1I/‘Oumuamua.

NASA Confirms Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS is of Natural Origin Amid Speculation

NASA Confirms Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS is of Natural Origin Amid Speculation

NASA has confirmed that the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, discovered in July, is of natural origin and not an alien spacecraft. This announcement came after a period of speculation fueled by the recent government shutdown, which prevented NASA from commenting on the comet. During a briefing, NASA shared observations and analyses from over 20 missions, providing a comprehensive understanding of the comet. NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya emphasized the agency's interest in finding signs of life in the universe but clarified that 3I/ATLAS is merely a comet.

ESA's XMM-Newton Captures X-ray Emissions from Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS

ESA's XMM-Newton Captures X-ray Emissions from Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS

The European Space Agency's XMM-Newton observatory has captured X-ray emissions from the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. Observed on December 3, 2025, the comet was approximately 282-285 million kilometers from the spacecraft. The X-ray emissions result from interactions between the comet's gas emissions and the solar wind. This observation provides a unique opportunity to study gases like hydrogen and nitrogen, which are difficult to detect with optical instruments.

NASA's Roman Space Telescope to Conduct Comprehensive Milky Way Survey

NASA's Roman Space Telescope to Conduct Comprehensive Milky Way Survey

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team has announced a significant survey aimed at revealing the Milky Way in unprecedented detail. The Galactic Plane Survey will be conducted over a month, spread across two years, and is expected to unveil tens of billions of stars and explore previously uncharted structures. The survey will utilize infrared light to penetrate dust-obscured regions of the galaxy, offering a clearer view of its far side and core. This initiative is set to cover nearly 700 square degrees of the sky, mapping up to 20 billion stars and detecting minute positional shifts through high-resolution observations.