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Launched in 2024 and On Its Way to Jupiter in 2030, the Europa Clipper Took Advantage of a Rare Window in November 2025 to Observe the Interstellar Comet 3I-ATLAS at 4.51 AU, Recording Tails, Degassing, and Chemical Composition with the Ultraviolet Instrument UVS
The Europa Clipper spacecraft, launched in 2024 with an expected arrival at the Jovian system in 2030, performed unprecedented observations of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS in November 2025, taking advantage of a unique orbital window during its journey, directly impacting the understanding of comet tails.
Unexpected Observation During Trajectory to Jupiter
The mission plans for the spacecraft to orbit Jupiter and perform 49 close flybys of the moon Europa, using the UVS instrument to collect ultraviolet light and assess atmospheric gases and materials from the moon’s icy surface.
“We are excited that this opportunity to observe another target on the way to Jupiter was completely unexpected,” said Dr. Kurt Retherford, principal investigator of the Europa-UVS mission and of the Southwest Research Institute.
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The comet 3I/ATLAS was discovered on July 1, 2025, by the ATLAS survey telescope, funded by NASA, in Río Hurtado, Chile.
At the time of its discovery, the object was at a heliocentric distance of 4.51 astronomical units, with an orbital eccentricity of 6.13, indicating an interstellar trajectory through the Solar System.
A week after the initial identification, analysts from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory confirmed the comet’s trajectory through the Solar System, allowing adjustments to be made to the available observation strategies.
Favorable Geometry and Unique Viewpoint
The Europa Clipper team quickly identified that it could observe the 3I/ATLAS system in November 2025, a period when observations from Earth would be largely blocked by the position of the Sun.
During this interval, the spacecraft filled the gap between images obtained from Mars in September and later terrestrial observations, maintaining continuity in the records of the comet’s behavior.
With the comet’s trajectory passing between the spacecraft and the Sun, the viewpoint allowed observations from an unusual perspective, aligned directly toward the Sun, which is rarely available to scientific instruments.
Comets present dust and plasma tails oriented in the direction opposite to the Sun, forming distinct structures that vary according to activity and interaction with the solar wind.
The perspective adopted by the Europa-UVS instrument made it possible to observe the comet mainly from behind its tails, looking toward the nucleus and the coma, generating data rich in nuances.
“We hope this new view, along with observations from ground-based instruments and other spacecraft, will help us build a more complete understanding of tail geometries,” said Dr. Thomas Greathouse from the Southwest Research Institute.
Chemical Composition and Degassing Activity
The UVS instrument detected features associated with oxygen, hydrogen, and dust, corroborating data indicating a period of high degassing activity shortly after the comet’s closest approach to the Sun.
“The Europa-UVS is particularly effective at measuring fundamental transitions of atoms and molecules,” explained Dr. Retherford, highlighting the sensitivity of the onboard equipment.
According to him, it was possible to observe gases escaping from the comet and water molecules breaking down into hydrogen and oxygen atoms, revealing ongoing physicochemical processes.
This capability allows the Europa Clipper to closely measure and analyze atomic species, providing a deeper insight into the active processes and composition of 3I/ATLAS during its passage.
“Understanding the composition of the comet and the ease with which these gases are emitted can clarify its origin and evolution during its transit through the Galaxy,” said Dr. Tracy Becker from the Southwest Research Institute.
She added that identifying the chemical processes involved helps to investigate whether these mechanisms were similar to those that occurred during the formation of our Solar System, enhancing the scientific value of the observation, even with small orbital variations and data still under analysis.
Os ignorantes achando que iriam ver um “retrato”do cometa kkkkk, pelo menos não tem nenhum maluco falando que é nave
Está coisa nem para cair em Brasília no DF bem no dia que todos os órgãos público estivesse com toda sua capacidade lotados, STF, Senado, Congresso, Ministérios, etc…..
Aí já faria uma limpeza completa de ****, vagabundas, ****, picaretas, etc….nem ia precisar fazer enterros, o buraco aberto com certeza caberia todos, ficaríamos lixos de um monte de lixos….
Especialmente quando lá estivesse os alienados, desinformados, despolitizados e descerebrados cegos seguidores do aloprado ****, alucinado, despreparado, incompetente, mal educado, ignorante, ****, irresponsável, ****, empestiador, homofóbico, fanático religioso, ****, poluidor, incendiário, **** contumaz, desocupado e preguiçoso Bolsonaro… bem como, e, segundo Ciro Gomes, um dos mais PROFUNDOS conhecedores dos bastidores da politicagem brasileira… temos que EXPULSAR DO PODER, também, os PIORES **** deste país… a maioria, cerca de dois terços (2/3) da **** DE MARGINAIS ENGRAVATADOS composta pelos políticos e governantes que, hoje, estão concentrados no denominado CENTRÃO e nas bancadas da bala, ruralista e religiosa… fora as raras e honrosas exceções… claro que existem… e também da MAIORIA dos banqueiros, grandes empresários, fazendeiros, sacerdotes e artistas… que, como DÓCEIS E SUBMISSOS ESCRAVOS, VERGONHOSAMENTE, RASTEJAM para o ****, HOMOFÓBICO E **** Trump… ou políticos do tipo Tarcísio de Freitas (RP – SP), Cláudio Castro (PL-RJ), Jorginho Mello (PL-RJ), Rogério Marinho (PL-RN), Hamilton Mourão (PR-RS), Marco Feliciano (PL-SP), Ricardo Salles (PL-SP), Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP), Gustavo Gayer (PL-GO), Marcel Van Hattem (Novo-RS), Bia Kicis (PL-DF), Zé Trovão (PL-SC), Amália Barros (PL-MT), Mário Frias (PL-SP), André Fernandes (PL-CE), Paulo Bilynskyj (PL-SP), Coronel Chrisóstomo (PL-RO), Messias Donato (Republicanos-ES), Coronel Ulysses (União-AC), Delegado Caveira (PL-PA), José Medeiros (PL-MT), Marcelo Moraes (PL-RS), Magno Malta (PL-ES), Flavio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ), Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG), Damares Alves (RP-DF).
Adilson Barroso (PL-SP),
Cabo Gilberto Silva (PL-PB),
Capitão Alden (PL-BA),
Carla Zambelli (PL-SP),
Coronel Fernanda (PL-MT),
Giovani Cherini (PL-RS),
Joaquim Passarinho (PL-PA),
Luiz Philippe de Orleans (PL-SP),
Marcel van Hattem (Novo-RS),
Marcos Pollon (PL-MS),
Mauricio Marcon (PODE-RS),
Mauricio do Vôlei (PL-MG),
Messias Donato (Republicanos-ES), Roberta Roma (PL-BA), Sargento Gonçalves (PL-RN),
Silvia Waiãpi (PL-AP),
Sóstenes Cavalcante e Guilherme Derrite (PP-SP)!
Se não os tirarmos do poder… corremos um SÉRIO RISCO de voltarmos à condição de ser a DÓCIL E SUBMISSA COLÔNIA, fornecedora, APENAS de produtos primarios, COMODITTIES, de baixo valor agregado.
Que foto horrorosa. Só pra gente clicar na notícia.
Kkkkkkkk também pensei nisso