NASA’s SPHEREx Captures Comet 3I/ATLAS, a Visitor From Beyond the Solar System
- Date:
- September 2, 2025
- Source:
- NASA
- Summary:
- NASA’s SPHEREx joined Webb and Hubble in studying interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, gathering data on its size, chemistry, and physical traits. While harmless to Earth, the comet provides scientists a rare opportunity to learn more about solar system wanderers.
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NASA's SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observed interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS Aug. 7 to Aug. 15. The SPHEREx team has been analyzing insights from this data, and a research note is available online. The agency's SPHEREx is one of NASA's space telescopes observing this comet, together providing more information about its size, physical properties, and chemical makeup. For example, NASA's Webb and Hubble space telescopes also recently observed the comet. While the comet poses no threat to Earth, NASA's space telescopes help support the agency's ongoing mission to find, track, and better understand solar system objects.
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Materials provided by NASA. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
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