During its flyby, Comet 31/ATLAS passed within 18 million miles (29 million km) of Mars—close enough for the orbiter to capture unique images and data. This vantage point allowed astronomers to triangulate its path with far greater accuracy.
According to ESA, scientists expected only a small improvement in trajectory prediction, but instead saw a “tenfold leap in accuracy.”
🔗 ESA’s NEOCC (Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre): NEOCC
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Using Mars Instruments in a Bold New Way
This mission was far from routine. The CaSSIS camera aboard ExoMars is normally pointed downward to map Mars in high resolution. For this operation, engineers aimed it into deep space to watch the tiny comet sweep across the stars.
“It required a combined effort from flight dynamics, instrument teams, and scientists,” ESA noted. The maneuver demanded careful consideration of the orbiter’s rapidly shifting position in Mars’ orbit—something generally unnecessary for Earth-based observations.
Plotting the Future Path of Comet 31/ATLAS
With new data from Mars orbit, ESA astronomers refined the comet’s ephemeris, giving researchers a clearer idea of where to point telescopes for further study. This precision is essential because Comet 31/ATLAS will soon leave the Solar System forever, offering scientists only a narrow window for observation.
