For several months, the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS—the largest and fastest known celestial body of its class—has been traversing the Solar System. A few days ago, it reached its closest approach to Mars, passing at a distance of approximately 30 million kilometers. From October 1 to 7, the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and Mars Express spacecraft observed this cosmic capture an image of such a small and faint celestial body, long-exposure photography was necessary. As a result, the object appears elongated in some images, though this is merely an optical illusion. A similar effect can be seen, for example, when photographing the night sky. Unfortunately, due to the vast distance and diminutive size of the target, the images do not reveal individual structural details of the interstellar comet, such as distinguishing its nucleus from the coma—the surrounding cloud of gas and dust.Later, as 3I/ATLAS nears the Sun, a visible tail is expected to form. Studying this tail will provide deeper insights into the object's composition. Thus far, spectral analysis has only indicated a high nickel content, which is typical for such bodies. Scientists continue to monitor and analyze 3I/ATLAS, as the resulting data could prove invaluable for understanding the universe beyond our Solar System.

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