NASA has released extraordinary new imagery of Comet 31/ATLAS, captured last month by multiple spacecraft, including the MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) mission.
In an unprecedented moment, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), MAVEN, and the Perseverance rover all observed the interstellar object as it swept past Mars on its journey through the solar system.
These images—NASA says—represent “the closest view yet” of the comet, and they are offering scientists rare insights into an object that originated outside our solar system.
Ultraviolet Views from MAVEN Show Comet 31/ATLAS
Launched in 2013, the MAVEN mission is the first spacecraft designed exclusively to study Mars’ upper atmosphere. Its ultraviolet images of Comet 31/ATLAS have proven especially valuable.
According to NASA, MAVEN’s detections revealed hydrogen signatures, allowing scientists to analyze the comet’s chemical composition.
Learn more about MAVEN here:
🔗 NASA — MAVEN Mission Overview (https://www.nasa.gov)
