Solar System Invader 3I/ATLAS Flaunts Double Tail In Eerie New Images Taken By European Juice Probe

Astronomers have captured striking new images of a rare comet from deep space, and it appears to be dragging a spectacular double tail behind it. The object, named 3I/ATLAS, has been under constant watch by the world's top observatories since it was first spotted cutting through our solar neighbourhood in July. Now, as the comet heads for its closest pass by Earth, major space agencies have released fresh photos that show just how chaotic the surface of this alien visitor really is.

Both the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA are tracking the intruder, using the Hubble Space Telescope and the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) to get a better look. These joint efforts are offering vital clues about where the comet is going and what it is made of—a huge step forward in understanding objects that were not born in our own solar system.

Unravelling The Mystery Of A Rare Interstellar Guest

Comet 3I/ATLAS is a rare find for scientists because it is only the third interstellar object we have ever seen passing through our part of space. When it was discovered, it set off a scramble to learn as much as possible before it leaves our region for good. Researchers are leaning on these new images to map out exactly where the object is headed and to study the gases escaping from its surface.

This process of sublimation intensified significantly during the comet's closest pass by the sun in October. As the object heated up, it released a stream of materials that have given scientists their best clues yet regarding what this alien body is actually made of.

Hubble was among the first observatories to scrutinise the visitor shortly after its discovery in July. Those initial observations provided the most detailed view of the comet's teardrop shape available at the time, setting the stage for more recent imaging campaigns. On November 30, Hubble trained its Wide Field Camera 3 on the object once again. Despite the comet being 178 million miles (286 million kilometres) from Earth, the telescope managed to capture an even clearer shot of the invader.

ESA Probe Detects Complex Activity From Deep Space

While Hubble watched from near Earth, the ESA's Juice mission captured a different perspective from deep space. Currently en route to study Jupiter and its icy moons, the spacecraft found itself in a prime position to observe 3I/ATLAS in early November. At that time, Juice was situated approximately 41 million miles (66 million kilometres) away from the comet.

The mission team utilised five scientific instruments alongside the onboard Navigation Camera, or NavCam, to study the object. Because the team did not want to wait months for the full dataset, they downloaded a quarter of a single image taken by NavCam. This early glimpse has proven scientifically significant, revealing heat-driven activity on the comet resulting from its solar encounter.

The newly released image clearly displays a coma, or a glowing halo of gas surrounding the comet, along with two distinct tails. One is identified as a plasma tail composed of electrically charged gas, while the other is a faint dust tail formed by solid particles being released.

Why Technical Constraints Are Delaying Vital Data

Getting high-quality pictures back from Juice has been tricky because of the spacecraft's position. Most of the flyby data will not reach Earth until February. The ship is currently using its main antenna as a heat shield to keep its delicate instruments safe from the sun during the long trek to Jupiter.

That leaves a smaller antenna to do the heavy lifting, trickling data back home at a much slower speed. The rest of the information from the flyby is expected to drop between February 18 and 20. Scientists are waiting for that download, which should include crystal-clear photos from the high-resolution camera. This batch of data could hold the final pieces of the puzzle regarding where the interstellar object actually came from.

Solar System Flyby Poses No Threat To Earth

Comet 3I/ATLAS is scheduled to come within 270 million kilometres (167 million miles) of Earth on 19 December. Experts have confirmed that it will be on the other side of the sun during this pass and poses no risk to our planet. For context, Earth sits about 150 million kilometres (93 million miles) from the sun.

According to NASA, the comet is expected to remain visible to telescopes and space missions for a few more months before exiting our solar system. While this comet cameo is exciting, the Juice mission has a much longer road ahead. Its main job is to investigate whether Jupiter's three largest moons—Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa—could potentially host life. The probe launched in April 2023 and isn't scheduled to reach its destination until July 2031, where it will hunt for subsurface oceans hiding beneath the moons' icy shells.