Mars and Jupiter Probes Set to Monitor Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS During Its Sun Approach This Month

The European Space Agency (ESA) is keeping a close eye on the Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS on its journey through the solar system. A spacecraft, specially designed for the Jupiter and Mars missions, will monitor the interstellar comet. Notably, this is the third known interstellar object that has marked its way through the solar system and is continuing to do so. Likewise, astronomers have suggested that the 3I/ATLAS will potentially be seen by the ground-based telescopes. It will then pass the sun during its closest ever approach.

Understanding the Monitoring of 3I/ATLAS

In a statement, the ESA said that 3I/ATLAS is the third interstellar object identified in Chile in the year 2025, following the discoveries of Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov previously. The comet will be monitored by the two Mars orbiters, named Mars Express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, somewhere between October 1--7. The comet and the spacecraft will be the closest, with a distance of 30 million kilometres.

The Jupiter orbiter, named Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE), will then embark on a quest to monitor 3I/ATLAS around November 1, when this comet will reach closest to the sun.

However, this phase will be crucial as the sun might drive the comet to the most active phase, in turn, causing ice to vaporise.

Significance of Tracking 3I/ATLAS

Monitoring this interstellar comet when close to the sun will reveal the exact chemical makeup and activity at peak intensity. Astronomers, notably, will get a window to compare it with the other comets.

If the chemistry matches, the findings may indicate towards planetary systems sharing the same building block, and if not, then exotic ingredients might be analysed from other star systems.