NASA’s SPHEREx Captures Comet 3I/ATLAS, a Visitor From Beyond the Solar System

By: sciencedaily Posted On: September 02, 2025 View:

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Date:: September 2, 2025
Source:: NASA
Summary:: NASA’s SPHEREx joined Webb and Hubble in studying interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, gathering data on its size, chemistry, and physical traits. While harmless to Earth, the comet provides scientists a rare opportunity to learn more about solar system wanderers.
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NASA’s SPHEREx telescope recently captured rare observations of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, offering new insights into its makeup and behavior. Credit: NASA/SPHEREx

NASA's SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observed interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS Aug. 7 to Aug. 15. The SPHEREx team has been analyzing insights from this data, and a research note is available online. The agency's SPHEREx is one of NASA's space telescopes observing this comet, together providing more information about its size, physical properties, and chemical makeup. For example, NASA's Webb and Hubble space telescopes also recently observed the comet. While the comet poses no threat to Earth, NASA's space telescopes help support the agency's ongoing mission to find, track, and better understand solar system objects.

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NASA. "NASA’s SPHEREx Captures Comet 3I/ATLAS, a Visitor From Beyond the Solar System." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 2 September 2025. /releases/2025/09/250902084959.htm>.

NASA. (2025, September 2). NASA’s SPHEREx Captures Comet 3I/ATLAS, a Visitor From Beyond the Solar System. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 2, 2025 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250902084959.htm

NASA. "NASA’s SPHEREx Captures Comet 3I/ATLAS, a Visitor From Beyond the Solar System." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250902084959.htm (accessed September 2, 2025).