NASA will broadcast a live stream to show for the first time a series of Unpublished images of comet 3I/ATLASAn interstellar visitor currently crossing our solar neighborhood. The event will begin at 21:00 PM (CET) in Spain. Goddard Center (Maryland) and will feature material obtained by several of the agency's missions.
In addition to the images, the program will serve to reveal how scientific teams work that these objects follow: a rare opportunity to peek into the process of observation, selection and data analysis behind each image that reaches the public.
How and when to watch the presentation from Spain
The event will start at 21:00 PM on the peninsula and can be followed on NASA+, the agency's official website, its YouTube channel and Amazon Prime Videoand there are guides on the web with dates and how to watch itIt's a good idea to connect a few minutes early to avoid waiting and to check that everything is working correctly.
Participants include top-level officials: Amit Kshatriya (associate administrator), Nicky Fox (Directorate of Scientific Missions), Shawn Domagal-Goldman (Astrophysics) and Tom Statler (small bodies). The public will be able to submit questions using the tag #AskNASA, some of which will be answered live.
The public announcement comes after several atypical weeks: the US government shutdown in early autumn it put on hold the communication of news right at the peak of the comet's activity, which delayed the moment of showing the material to the general public.
An interstellar visitor and what has been observed so far
Detected July 1st via the ATLAS network, 3I/ATLAS is the third object of interstellar origin that we see passing through the solar system, after 'Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. Its hyperbolic nature and trajectory make it a prime scientific target.
On October 29th it reached perihelionThis is when comets typically exhibit their most intense activity. From Earth, it was hidden behind the Sun during the critical days, complicating its tracking from ground-based observatories.
There was, however, an excellent opportunity from Mars: on October 3rd it passed by about 30 million kilometers from the red planet. The European Space Agency On October 7, it shared images from its orbiters (TGO and Mars Express) in which the comet appears as a faint blur, enough to identify an envelope of ionized gas typical of these bodies.
By combining data from Mars and Earth, the teams have fine-tuned the trajectory of the visitor. In any case, there is no cause for alarm: 3I/ATLAS It poses no danger to Earth and its closest possible approximation will still be very comfortable.
What could the new images reveal?
The agency will present material obtained by multiple missionsAlthough not all instruments have been detailed, the participation of platforms offering complementary perspectives is expected. These could include the chamber of commerce. HiRISE from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, with images taken close to the date of the encounter with Mars, and contributions from Hubble, Webb or large ground-based telescopes are not ruled out.
With different wavelengths and filtersThe images will help study the coma, tail, and trail of particles, as well as the activity associated with the sublimation of volatile ices. This data will allow explore its composition and compare their behavior with that of comets formed in our solar system.
The synergy between space-based and ground-based observatories—and the geometry of the passage through the inner solar system—will facilitate mapping the evolution of activity of the comet during the next few weeks, a key piece to understanding its origin and history.
Upcoming windows and Europe's role
The one expected on December 19th This presents an opportunity for new observation campaigns from Europe and the United States. Although the distance is great, coordination optimizes the acquisition of useful images and spectra.
La international collaboration It will remain essential. ESA and NASA are working together to gather observations from different platforms as the object moves further out of the solar system, maximizing the chances of capturing new images.
After the broadcast, the teams will dedicate time to analyze each framePhotometry, spectroscopy, and numerical modeling will help to constrain the effective core size and material release rates, among other physical parameters.
Tonight's date offers a privileged opportunity To view previously unseen images from 3I/ATLAS with scientific context and all the practical details for the public in Spain. Among the objectives: clear up rumors, to solidify verified data and take advantage of one of the best opportunities to understand this rare interstellar traveler.
