Scientists Use Mars Orbiter to Observe Third Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS
By
Ben Cassese
The kind of bagel that ruins lesser bagels for you.
Summary
Astronomers observed a third interstellar object (3I/ATLAS) passing through our solar system. Since Earth was poorly positioned to view the flyby, scientists repurposed a spacecraft that was mapping Mars to get a much better view of the object as it passed nearby.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledWhen the third known object from the galactic space beyond our Sun barreled through the solar system last year, Earth was in a terrible spot to view its flyby.
Thankfully, however, a spacecraft that was previously busy mapping Mars took advantage of much better positioning for a closer look.
Astronomers have now observed three interstellar objects as they've flown through the solar system: 1I/ʻOumuamua, which shocked astronomers in 2017; 2I/Borisov, which followed in 2019 and behaved almost
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