"A millennia-old comet reveals its secrets": Interstellar enigma unveiled by primitive comet

In the vast expanse of the solar system, interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has made a remarkable appearance, marking only the third such visitor confirmed since its inception. Discovered in July, this celestial wanderer is set to present a unique opportunity for scientific exploration, despite the challenges posed by its trajectory.

As the comet approaches the Sun, it will be positioned behind our star from an Earth-based perspective, making observation by ground-based or near-Earth telescopes impossible. However, a number of spacecraft are poised to capture this rare event.

The European Space Agency's (ESA) solar observatory "SOHO", the NASA solar probe "PUNCH", and the "Parker Solar Probe" will be in position to study the comet near the Sun. Their research results have been published on ArXiv, offering a glimpse into the comet's behaviour in the solar environment.

Meanwhile, Mars orbiters like the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), Tianwen-1, and Hope, with the right vantage point and equipment, will provide valuable data on 3I/ATLAS. While they won't directly observe the comet during its closest approach to the Sun, other spacecraft like "Europa Clipper", "Hera", and "Lucy" may fly through the comet's tail, gathering crucial information.

One of the most intriguing aspects of 3I/ATLAS is its suspected origin in the "thick disk" of the Milky Way. Scientists, including Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, have been investigating which space probes could observe the comet during its unobservable phase from Earth. A research team led by Andreas M. Hein of the University of Luxembourg has been spearheading these efforts.

T. Marshall Eubanks, a co-author, states that "JUICE" will be in an optimal position to observe the important period around the perihelion of 3I/ATLAS when observations from Earth will be most difficult. The ESA mission "JUICE" is designed to explore the Jupiter system, but its position during the comet's approach offers a valuable opportunity for additional research.

The upcoming investigation aims to perform a mass spectrometry to learn more about the composition of 3I/ATLAS. This could reveal whether the comet comes from the thick disc, providing insights into the formation and evolution of our galaxy.

As the scientific community delves deeper into the study of 3I/ATLAS, other mysteries continue to unfold. For instance, the Earth's core has suddenly stopped, and its consequences are being studied. Meanwhile, early Earth was hostile to life, but something monumental happened to make it habitable. These questions, along with the mysteries of interstellar comets, continue to captivate scientists and the general public alike.

However, it's important to note that a disinformation campaign is underway, aiming to change the familiar world map significantly. As always, it's crucial to rely on credible sources for scientific information.

In this exciting time, the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS serves as a beacon of discovery, pushing the boundaries of our understanding and offering a glimpse into the cosmos beyond our solar system.

"A millennia-old comet reveals its secrets": Interstellar enigma unveiled by primitive comet