A Mars Probe Monitors The Path Of Comet 3I/ATLAS With Unprecedented Accuracy Before Its Eternal Disappearance
A Mars Probe Monitors The Path Of Comet 3I/ATLAS With Unprecedented Accuracy Before Its Eternal Disappearance
Although the comet does not pose any risk of colliding with Earth, this achievement may have important implications in defending our planet against comets and other asteroids in the future.
The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter probe was able to monitor comet 3I/ATLAS between the first and seventh of October as it passed relatively close to Mars, as the comet approached the red planet at a distance of 29 million km on October 3.
Before September, calculations of the comet’s location and path were based on observations recorded by ground-based telescopes. Scientists were expecting a slight improvement in the accuracy of determining the comet’s location by adding data coming from Mars, but this addition actually caused a tenfold improvement.
“The Mars probe approached Comet 3I/ATLAS at about 10 times the distance separated by ground-based telescopes, and observed it from a new angle of view,” the European Space Agency wrote in a statement. “Combining its data with ground-based data has helped make the comet’s predicted path significantly accurate.”
Since comet 3I/ATLAS is passing through our solar system at speeds of up to 250,000 km per hour, it will soon disappear into interstellar space and never return. “The improved trajectory allows astronomers to aim their instruments with confidence, enabling detailed science about the third interstellar object ever discovered.”
To image Comet 3I/ATLAS, the ExoMars TGO probe pointed one of its instruments, the CaSIS, which normally scans the Red Planet’s surface at high resolution, toward the stars. The Planetary Defense Team at ESA’s Near-Earth Object Coordination Center calculated the position of the agency’s spacecraft around Mars to ensure shots of Comet 3I/ATLAS were captured.
These special considerations were necessary because observations of the paths of comets and asteroids are usually made using fixed-site observatories, such as ground-based telescopes, or from Earth orbit, such as the James Webb Space Telescope.
Taking into account the unique location of the ExoMARS TRO probe, its precise position around Mars, and the speed at which it orbits the Red Planet, the Planetary Defense team, with the help of tools available at the European Space Agency, was able to use the spacecraft data to calculate the future positions of Comet 3I/ATLAS, or its “astronomical chart.”
The data collected by the ExoMars TRO probe represents the first time that astronomical position data (measurements of a celestial body’s position) have been collected and sent to the Minor Planet Center by a spacecraft orbiting another planet. The Minor Planet Center is a hub for monitoring asteroids and comets from a group of observatories, radar stations and spacecraft. This is critical for planetary defense.
“ESA routinely monitors near-Earth asteroids and comets, and calculates their orbits to provide warnings if necessary. As this ‘exercise’ with comet 3I/ATLAS shows, it can be useful to combine data from Earth with observations from a second location in space. A spacecraft may happen to be closer to the object, which adds further value,” the space agency wrote.
It is noteworthy that the JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) spacecraft, heading to the Jupiter system, is currently working on monitoring comet 3I/ATLAS. After approaching directly from the Sun, JUICE will likely get its best view of the comet during its active phase as radiation from the Sun expels matter from it.
However, because this spacecraft is currently located on the opposite side of the sun from Earth, JUICE observations of the interstellar comet will not be available to scientists until February 2026.
Source: Space
Disclaimer: This news article has been republished exactly as it appeared on its original source, without any modification. We do not take any responsibility for its content, which remains solely the responsibility of the original publisher.
Disclaimer: This news article has been republished exactly as it appeared on its original source, without any modification.
We do not take any responsibility for its content, which remains solely the responsibility of the original publisher.
Author: uaetodaynews
Published on: 2025-11-19 05:53:00
Source: uaetodaynews.com
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