3I/ATLAS Lights Up Mars Sky As NASA Unlocks Clues to Its Origins

NASA released images of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS during its October flyby of Mars, a rare event that saw the third known interstellar object pass within 30 million kilometres of the Red Planet. (Credit: NASA)

NASA has unveiled images of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS taken during its close flyby of Mars in October, marking one of the rarest astronomical events in recent history. The comet, only the third interstellar object ever observed in our Solar System, passed within 30 million kilometres of the Red Planet, allowing multiple missions to capture unprecedented views.

A Rare Martian Vantage Point