{"id":231218,"date":"2025-12-13T17:24:26","date_gmt":"2025-12-13T17:24:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/231218\/"},"modified":"2025-12-13T17:24:26","modified_gmt":"2025-12-13T17:24:26","slug":"gemini-north-telescope-captures-new-images-of-3i-atlas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/231218\/","title":{"rendered":"Gemini North Telescope Captures New Images of 3I\/ATLAS"},"content":{"rendered":"

On November 26, 2025, astronomers used the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on the Gemini North telescope at Maunakea in Hawai\u2019i to obtain images of the interstellar comet 3I\/ATLAS. The new observations reveal how the object has changed after making its closest approach to the Sun.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"3I\/ATLAS<\/a><\/p>\n

3I\/ATLAS streaks across stars and galaxies in this image captured by the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on the Gemini North telescope on Maunakea in Hawai\u2019i, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, partly funded by NSF and operated by NSF\u2019s NOIRLab. Image credit: International Gemini Observatory \/ NOIRLab \/ NSF \/ AURA \/ B. Bolin \/ J. Miller & M. Rodriguez, International Gemini Observatory & NSF\u2019s NOIRLab \/ T.A. Rector, University of Alaska Anchorage & NSF\u2019s NOIRLab \/ M. Zamani, NSF\u2019s NOIRLab.<\/p>\n

3I\/ATLAS<\/a> reached its closest approach to the Sun \u2014 known as perihelion \u2014 on October 30, 2025.<\/p>\n

After emerging from behind the Sun, the interstellar visitor reappeared in the sky close to Zaniah, a triple-star system located in the constellation of Virgo.<\/p>\n

On November 26, 2025, Eureka Scientific researcher Bryce Bolin and colleagues captured the new images of the comet as part of a public outreach initiative organized by NSF NOIRLab in collaboration with Shadow the Scientists.<\/p>\n

\u201cSharing an observing experience in some of the best conditions available gives the public a truly front-row view of our interstellar visitor,\u201d Dr. Bolin said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAllowing the public to see what we do as astronomers and how we do it also helps demystify the scientific and data collection process, adding transparency to our study of this fascinating object.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

The image of 3I\/ATLAS, taken with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on the Gemini North telescope, shows the comet\u2019s coma \u2014 a cloud of gas and dust that forms around the comet\u2019s icy nucleus in the vicinity of the Sun. Image credit: International Gemini Observatory \/ NOIRLab \/ NSF \/ AURA \/ B. Bolin \/ J. Miller & M. Rodriguez, International Gemini Observatory & NSF\u2019s NOIRLab \/ T.A. Rector, University of Alaska Anchorage & NSF\u2019s NOIRLab \/ M. Zamani, NSF\u2019s NOIRLab.<\/p>\n

The new GMOS images are composed of exposures taken through four filters: blue, green, orange, and red.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs exposures are taken, the comet remains fixed in the center of the telescope\u2019s field of view,\u201d the astronomers said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, the positions of the background stars change relative to the comet, causing them to appear as colorful streaks in the final image.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn earlier images of the comet, captured during a Shadow the Scientists session hosted at Gemini South in Chile, it appears to have a red hue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, in the new images released today, it appears to have a faint greenish glow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is due to light emitted by gases in the comet\u2019s coma that are evaporating as the comet heats up, including diatomic carbon, a highly reactive molecule of two carbon atoms that emits light at green wavelengths.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat remains unknown is how the comet will behave as it leaves the Sun\u2019s vicinity and cools down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMany comets have a delayed reaction in experiencing the Sun\u2019s heat due to the lag in time that it takes for heat to make its way through the interior of the comet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA delay can activate the evaporation of new chemicals or trigger a comet outburst.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"On November 26, 2025, astronomers used the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on the Gemini North telescope at Maunakea…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":231219,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[270],"tags":[10866,7043,18,123487,123488,77566,19,10881,10867,17,133,10214,451],"class_list":{"0":"post-231218","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-space","8":"tag-3i-atlas","9":"tag-comet","10":"tag-eire","11":"tag-gemini-north-observatory","12":"tag-gemini-observatory","13":"tag-gmos","14":"tag-ie","15":"tag-interstellar-comet","16":"tag-interstellar-object","17":"tag-ireland","18":"tag-science","19":"tag-solar-system","20":"tag-space"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/115713426859096843","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=231218"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231218\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/231219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=231218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=231218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=231218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}