3I/ATLAS is Captured in New Images as Mysterious Object Cruises Past Mars—What Does the Latest Data Reveal?  

The mysterious interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is making its closest approach to Mars today, and several spacecraft positioned around the Red Planet have already captured what may be among the clearest images obtained of the unusual comet.

Although 3I/ATLAS is currently on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth, making observations using terrestrial telescopes impossible, several cameras are being operated remotely on the Red Planet, allowing astronomers a rare opportunity to catch a glimpse of the object at a much closer range.

Some of those cameras, such as those currently operated by the European Space Agency (ESA), have already trained their mechanical eyes on the unusual interstellar comet that has captured the public’s fascination in recent weeks.

Equally exciting, however, are a few new images obtained this week that may already offer a sneak peek at the enigmatic comet as it makes its way past Mars, potentially offering clues toward solving several puzzling qualities 3I/ATLAS displays, which have left astronomers baffled.

3I/ATLAS is Spotted by ESA Spacecraft

“Between 1 and 7 October, our Mars orbiters Mars Express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter will observe the comet as it passes close to Mars, with the closest distance between the spacecraft and the comet being 30 million km on 3 October,” the European Space Agency said in a statement on its website last month.

Based on the information it has provided, the ESA has likely already obtained new imagery of the interstellar visitor, which many astronomers hope will be among the most intriguing yet seen of the unusual comet, initially spotted on July 1, 2025.

While none of the ESA’s images have been released by the agency at present, we can likely expect to see them very soon, offering what could prove to be a revealing look at 3I/ATLAS from the closest vantage point yet obtained using any camera.

NASA’s Mars Missions: Have New Images Been Obtained?

In addition to the ESA’s Mars missions, the HiRISE camera aboard NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will also be training its eye on the unusual object as it passes. However, the status of the delivery of images obtained by NASA’s Mars missions is currently in question amid the recent U.S. government shutdown.

NASA officials have said its official website will not be updated during the shutdown, meaning that it may take longer than normal for any images its Mars probes obtain of 3I/ATLAS to be made available online.

Fortunately, the HiRISE camera on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is by no means NASA’s only camera currently operational on Mars. Raw imagery from NASA’s Perseverance rover is still being made available online, with the latest photos, obtained using the robot’s Right Mastcam-Z Camera on October 3, appearing on the space agency’s multimedia page.

While none of the most recent raw images provide any clear views of the interstellar comet as it makes its closest approach, that isn’t to say that 3I/ATLAS might not have at least made an appearance as it passed through the Martian skies over the Perseverance rover’s current location within Jezero crater.

Was 3I/ATLAS Already Spotted by NASA’s Perseverance Rover?

According to astrophotographer Simeon Schmauß, some of the raw images collected by NASA’s Perseverance rover on October 1st may already reveal an early look at the interstellar comet as it makes its way past the Red Planet.

“I think Perseverance may have spotted interstellar comet 3I/Atlas last night from Mars!” Schmauß wrote in a posting on BlueSky. “After stacking 20 images from Mastcam-Z, I found a faint smudge of light in the constellation Corona Borealis close to the location where the comet was expected.”

According to Schmauß, “a super faint smudge” can be seen in the images very close to the area where 3I/ATLAS should be expected to appear in the sky. “The new orbit parameters in Stellarium are a pretty good match,” Schmauß added.

If confirmed, the recent Perseverance images may provide the earliest look at 3I/ATLAS as seen from the surface of Mars that has been made available online.

While the public awaits new, official processed imagery from the ESA and NASA, several amateur astronomers have taken to social media with recent images that reportedly show the object (like this one), as seen from telescopes prior to it passing out of view as 3I/ATLAS moved behind the Sun.

Although it is possible that some of these photographers were indeed successful in capturing views of the comet back in September, many of the recent images appearing on social media are too faint or indistinct to allow for any conclusive identification.

More Opportunities in the Months Ahead

Fortunately, there will be additional opportunities to capture images of 3I/ATLAS in the months ahead, which may reveal additional insights about the odd interstellar comet before it leaves our solar system.

According to the ESA, “between 2 and 25 November ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) will observe the comet with various instruments.”

“As Juice looks towards 3I/ATLAS so soon after its closest approach to the Sun, it is likely to have the best view of the comet in a very active state, with a bright halo around its nucleus and a long tail stretching out behind it,” the ESA said last month.

While the public eagerly awaits additional data about 3I/ATLAS as it moves beyond the Sun, NASA and ESA are already collecting new imagery that, in the coming days, will likely offer new clues about the object’s appearance, composition, and possible origins, as well as answers to some of its lingering mysteries.

Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow him on X @MicahHanks, and at micahhanks.com.