NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Captures 3I/ATLAS
Using the Wide-Field Imager for Solar Probe (WISPR) instrument aboard NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, scientists observed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS from October 18 to November 5, 2025.
This image from Parker Solar Probe’s WISPR instrument shows the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. Image credit: NRL/NASA/JHUAPL/Guillermo Stenborg, JHUAPL.
3I/ATLAS was discovered by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile, on July 1, 2025.
Also known as C/2025 N1 (ATLAS) and A11pl3Z, the interstellar comet arrived from the constellation Sagittarius.
3I/ATLAS approached Mars at a distance of 0.194 AU on October 3 and reached its closest approach to the Sun – known as perihelion – on October 30.
On December 19, the object made its closest approach to Earth, coming within 270 million kilometers (168 million miles) of our home planet.
The new 3I/ATLAS images were captured with the WISPR instrument aboard NASA’s Parker Solar Probe from October 18 to November 5.
“Parker Solar Probe took approximately 10 images of the comet per day,” members of the WISPR team said in a statement.
“During this period, the spacecraft was moving away from the Sun after its 25th solar flyby on September 15.”
“In these initial images – which have yet to undergo final calibration and processing – the comet can be seen heading behind the Sun from Parker’s perspective.”
“At the time, the comet was near its closest point to the Sun, at a distance of about 209 million kilometers (130 million miles), which placed it just outside the orbit of Mars.”
“The images provide a valuable glimpse of the comet at a time when it could not be seen from Earth because it appeared too close to the Sun from Earth’s perspective.”
The WISPR team continues to process the data to remove stray light and compensate for exposure times, which differed between images, making it appear as if the comet had changed brightness.
“The final images will ultimately help us better study this interstellar visitor,” the researchers said.
