Spacecraft at Mars have noticed comet 3I/ATLAS. What they noticed might assist save our planet

Observations of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS by spacecraft on Mars are serving to scientists be taught extra about learn how to shield our planet from harmful area rocks.

Comet 3I/ATLAS originated about 7 billion years in the past round a star system elsewhere within the Galaxy.

It’s quickly passing via our cosmic environs.

3I/ATLAS poses no risk to Earth, however planetary defence consultants have been learning it with a view to be taught extra about refining the trajectory of such objects, as a part of an total plan to maintain Earth secure.

A view behind the Sun

Comet 3I/ATLAS is the third interstellar object ever noticed, and was found on 1 July 2025.

Since its discovery, scientists have been utilizing ground-based and space-based telescopes to be taught extra about the place it got here from, and the place it is headed.

In early October 2025, 3I/ATLAS disappeared behind the Sun, from our perspective on Earth.

Cunningly, scientists had been in a position to name on spacecraft at Mars to maintain monitor of the comet, whereas it wasn’t seen to us.

Between 1 and seven October 2025, the European Space Agency’s Mars Express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter spacecraft noticed comet 3I/ATLAS because it handed near the Red Planet.

Those observations, say the European Space Agency, have improved the comet’s predicted location by an element of 10.

“By being able to use Mars-based data for an unusual observation, we learned more about the interstellar comet’s path through our Solar System in a valuable test case for planetary defence, even though 3I/ATLAS does not pose any danger,” a press release from ESA stated.

The Trace Gas Orbiter bought views 10 instances nearer to 3I/ATLAS than telescopes on Earth, and in addition managed to see it from a distinct angle.

Triangulating that information gathered on Mars with the earlier information gathered from Earth has helped scientists predict the comet’s path rather more precisely.

How comet 3I/ATLAS helps shield our planet

3I/ATLAS is passing via our Solar System at speeds of as much as 150,000 mph (250,000 kph) and can quickly go away it without end.

Improving the recognized trajectory of this comet is a giant deal, because it’s solely the third such object we have ever seen.

The planetary defence workforce at ESA’s Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre needed to account for the truth that the comet was being noticed by a spacecraft on Mars, not a telescope on Earth.

Normally, observations are constructed from observatories on Earth, and generally an area telescope orbiting Earth.

But this time, the observations had been made by a spacecraft orbiting Mars at pace.

They needed to work with a number of groups throughout the European Space Agency to calculate precisely the place the Trace Gas Orbiter was when it made its observations of 3I/ATLAS.

The information gathered marks the primary time such measurements made by a spacecraft orbiting one other planet have been accepted into the Minor Planet Center (MPC) database.

And whereas 3I/ATLAS poses no risk to Earth, the workforce say the train was a invaluable contribution to planetary defence.

It confirmed that information on a comet captured from Earth could possibly be mixed with information on the identical comet captured from a distinct planet.

And if future interstellar comets could possibly be visited by a spacecraft, that will give scientists much more information to work with.

But the work is not performed but. Scientists will get one other probability at an remark of 3I/ATLAS from past Earth.

The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) is at present observing the comet simply after its closest method to the Sun, however the information will not be obtainable till February 2026.