Sharp Hubble Images Confirm 3I/Atlas as Comet

25 Brajeshwar 5 8/17/2025, 2:55:18 PM sciencealert.com ↗

Comments (5)

zokier · 1h ago

editorialized title.

submitted: Sharp Hubble Images Confirm 3I/Atlas as Comet

original article: NASA Probe Could Intercept Interstellar Comet, Scientists Say

jdnier · 3h ago

Wait, so this object is going to pass quite close to Jupiter, Mars, and Venus? And the Juno probe, which was planned to be decommissioned soon anyway, could potentially be maneuvered to follow and get close to the object? Kind of uncanny and kind of a science fiction plot, but fun to think about.

Tuna-Fish · 2h ago

Avi Loeb is a crank who no-one should be taking seriously. Juno absolutely can not flyby 3I/Atlas. See this reddit thread: https://old.reddit.com/r/nasa/comments/1mkcli7/nasa_told_to_...

grues-dinner · 31m ago

I don't think any probe can do anything but stand there as the object zooms past.

But if it gets so close to Mars, presumably Mars probes already in orbit can get a closer look?

baggy_trough · 3h ago

The wikipedia article has orbit animations:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:3I_ATLAS_animation2.webm

It definitely gets surprisingly close to Mars and Jupiter.