SPHEREx Logs Fresh Organic Signals From Interstellar Visitor 3I/ATLAS
TL;DR Summary
NASA’s SPHEREx observed interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS brighten in December 2025, detecting organic molecules such as methanol, cyanide and methane in a increasingly active coma rich in CO2, CO and H2O. Delayed venting—driven by solar heating penetrating deep into the crust—releases pristine ices and rocky material, highlighting the comet’s processed exterior and complex chemistry, and showcasing SPHEREx’s capability to study such rare, far‑flung visitors.
- NASA’s SPHEREx Mission Tracks Brightening of Interstellar Comet NASA Science (.gov)
- 3I/ATLAS: Is There Life On The Exocomet? Harvard Astrophysicist Avi Loeb Decodes Latest Webb’s Data From NASA Mashable India
- 3I/ATLAS Is Emitting A Chemical Signal Scientists Did Not Expect USA Herald
- New spacecraft images show interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS in unexpectedly sharp detail secom.es
- NASA’s TESS Tracks Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS in Its Final Act DIY Photography
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