--- title: "NASA Releases Long-Delayed Image of 3I/ATLAS" description: "NASA finally released an early \"peek\" at the observations of its spacecraft of interstellar object 3I/ATLAS during a livestream today." date: "2025-11-19" modified: "2025-11-19" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/space/nasa-releases-3i-atlas-images" categories: - "Astronomy" - "Astrophysics" - "NASA" - "Off-World" - "Space" --- # NASA Releases Long-Delayed Image of 3I/ATLAS ![NASA finally released an early "peek" at the observations of its spacecraft of interstellar object 3I/ATLAS during a livestream today.]() *NASA* Mysterious interstellar object 3I/ATLAS made an [astonishingly close pass of Mars]() last month, allowing scientific instruments in the planet's orbit to get a tantalizing glimpse. Yet thanks to the US federal government shutdown that ended earlier this month, NASA was [forced to delay the release of images]() taken by the HiRISE camera attached to its Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, [prompting outrage]() from lawmakers and astronomers alike. Fortunately, NASA [finally released]() some of the observations [during a livestream today](). One image, taken by HiRISE on October 2, shows a "fuzzy white ball," as NASA associate administrator Amit Kshatriya described it. At the time, 3I/ATLAS was just 19 million miles away from the instrument. "That ball is a cloud of dust and ice called the coma, which is shed by the comet," Kshatriya said. ![Image of 3I/ATLAS taken by NASA's HiRISE instrument on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.]() The image shows the mysterious visitor at a scale of around 19 miles per pixel. "Observations of interstellar objects are still rare enough that we learn something new on every occasion," said HiRISE principal investigator and University of Arizona professor Shane Byrne in a [statement](). "We're fortunate that 3I/ATLAS passed this close to Mars." The observation could allow us to determine an upper limit of the size of the comet's nucleus and shed new light on the particles found within its coma. NASA also released images of the comet taken by the Mastcam-Z instrument attached to its Perseverance Mars rover, taken on October 4, showing the object whipping by at around 137,000 mph. ![Image of 3I/ATLAS taken by NASA's HiRISE Perseverance Mars rover.]() Separate ultraviolet spectrograph observations by NASA's MAVEN spacecraft show the comet emitting hydrogen gas as it approached Mars in late September. Before getting to the latest observations during today's livestream, Kshatriya chose to "address the rumors right at the beginning," publicly denouncing a prevalent theory — prominently championed by Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb in the media — that 3I/ATLAS [could be an alien spacecraft that came to visit](). "This object is a comet," Kshatriya said. "It looks and behaves like a comet, and all evidence points towards it being a comet." Fortunately, 3I/ATAS is expected to make its closest pass of the Earth on December 19, giving NASA spacecraft yet another chance to observe it. **More on 3I/ATLAS:** [*Harvard Scientist Suspicious About 3I/ATLAS’ Origins Fires Back at Critics*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()