Next up, the ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission will monitor 31/ATLAS between Nov. 2 and Nov. 25, when it’s expected to be in a “very active state” after perihelion. Due to its current position beyond the Sun, ESA scientists don’t anticipate receiving JUICE’s data until February 2026.
“The data we’ll get will help us understand how interstellar objects behave when interacting with our Sun,” said an ESA mission engineer. “It’s a rare opportunity to study an outsider up close.”
Learn more about ESA’s JUICE mission
