"The TESS exoplanet-hunting satellite accidentally captures images of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS."
"The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, a rare visitor from outside the Solar System, might have been spewing gases for months before it was spotted by astronomers."
The TESS satellite, designed to hunt for exoplanets, accidentally recorded images of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. 3I/ATLAS is a rare visitor originating from beyond the Solar System. Observational evidence indicates that the comet may have been emitting gases for several months prior to its formal spotting by astronomers. The serendipitous TESS images capture pre-discovery activity that could inform understanding of the comet's behavior and composition. The event illustrates how instruments focused on one scientific goal can provide valuable data for other areas of planetary and interstellar research.
Read at Nature
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]