Article Type: Official Space Agency sourced News, Explainer, Evidence-based
NASA’s SPHEREx Mission Tracks Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Through Infrared Eyes
NASA’s SPHEREx mission — the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer has provided one of the most detailed infrared views yet of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. As this rare visitor passed through our solar system, SPHEREx measured the light emitted by the gases and dust around the comet’s nucleus, revealing how its frozen materials reacted to solar heating and offering insight into the composition of a body formed around another star.