Parker Solar Probe Captures Image of 3I/ATLAS Interstellar Comet

JAKARTA - NASA's Parker Solar Probe spacecraft successfully observed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS during its journey away from the Sun. This observation was carried out to take about ten pictures of the comet every day.

In the portrait captured by the WISPR instrument, an abbreviation of Wide-Field Imager for Solar Probe, the comet appears to move behind the Sun from the spacecraft's point of view. These observations are invaluable because the comet's position at that time cannot be seen directly from Earth.

The closest distance of the comet to the Sun was recorded at 130 million miles. This position places the telescope just outside the orbit of the planet Mars. The research team is currently processing data to eliminate solar light interference on the image.

The calibration process was carried out so that the original brightness of the comet could be seen more clearly and accurately. Comet 3I/ATLAS was first discovered by the ATLAS survey telescope in Chile last July. This object became the third interstellar object ever detected passing through the solar system environment.

In addition to the Parker Solar Probe, this comet is also monitored by other NASA heliophysics missions such as SOHO and STEREO. The cooperation of these various spacecraft helps scientists study the origin of comets from outside the solar system. The final result of this image processing is expected to be able to reveal the composition of the material of the foreign visitors.

This information is crucial to understanding the process of star formation in galaxies beyond our own. These observations prove the robustness of the Parker Solar Probe in carrying out a dual mission.