Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS' journey through our solar system, in photos
A mysterious interstellar comet has been taking a tour of our solar system in recent months, garnering intense interest from astronomers and space enthusiasts alike.
Comet 3I/ATLAS is only the third object ever confirmed to have entered our cosmic neighborhood from elsewhere in the galaxy, and the rare visit has been documented by a host of satellites, space telescopes, orbiters and even rovers.
The most recent photos of 3I/ATLAS, released last week, come from a Jupiter-bound spacecraft operated by the European Space Agency and from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The new images add to a growing collection that has fostered intrigue around the interstellar object (though there is no evidence that the object is alien technology, as some have wondered).
The comet reached its closest point to the sun at the end of October and will fly by Earth on Dec. 19, staying at a safe distance of about 170 million miles away.
Here are some of the best and most interesting photos of the comet captured so far.
