Beijing: China’s Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter has captured images of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS during its close approach to the Red Planet, contributing to global scientific efforts to study the rare interstellar interloper.
According to Emirates News Agency, 3I/ATLAS is only the third object confirmed to have entered the solar system from another planetary system, following ‘Oumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019. Space agencies worldwide have sought to observe the comet using spacecraft positioned across the solar system.
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced that its Tianwen-1 spacecraft captured images of the comet between 1st and 4th October, publishing images showing its path during this time, as well as a standalone photo from 3rd October.