NASA's eagerly anticipated images of comet 3I → ATLAS have finally arrived, and they are a treasure trove of data. The press conference, which has since ended, revealed that instead of a few images from Mars, NASA received over a dozen observations taken by eight different missions over the course of three months.
These observations were captured by a range of spacecraft, including the SOHO and PUNCH spacecraft, the Perseverance Mars rover, and the Lucy, Psyche, and STEREO missions. The NASA panelists likened the new observations to fans at a baseball game, each holding a camera and photographing the action from a different angle.
Only by comparing and contrasting all these views will a comprehensive understanding of 3I → ATLAS emerge. As the comet approaches its closest point to Earth on December 19, many more telescopes will take a closer look. This won't just be limited to NASA and the world's biggest observatories, but also amateur astronomers.
According to Amit Kshatriya, NASA Associate Administrator, all evidence points to 3I → ATLAS being a natural comet from another star system. He welcomes the international attention that's been given to the comet and hopes everyone --- interested in what it has to teach.
The press conference has ended, but the work of deciphering and analyzing NASA's long-awaited images of 3I/ATLAS has just begun.Looking to read more like this: Visit website
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