For the first time ever, astronomers have captured two distinct X-ray views of an interstellar comet, providing an unprecedented glimpse into the interplay between a visitor from beyond our solar system and solar wind.
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, the third confirmed object known to have originated outside our solar system, has now been imaged in X-ray light by both the European Space Agency's (ESA) XMM-Newton observatory and the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) led by the Japanese space agency JAXA in partnership with NASA and ESA. These X-ray observations allow scientists to detect and study gases that other instruments can't easily spot, according to a statement from ESA.
