IMG_1 (IMAGE)

Southwest Research Institute

IMG_1

Caption

The Southwest Research Institute-led Ultraviolet Spectrograph (UVS) aboard ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) spacecraft observed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, revealing higher levels of carbon emissions than expected, especially in comparison to native comets. The oxygen signals and hydrogen signals (seen both directly and in an instrument artifact called a “ghost”) inform the rates of outgassing of water just after the comet’s nearest approach to the Sun.

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Credit: NASA/ESA/Southwest Research Institute

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