China's Tianwen-1 spacecraft has photographed the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS as it passed near Mars. According to the China National Space Agency (CNSA), the orbiter used its high-resolution camera to capture the comet from about 30 million km (18.6 million mi) away.
Tianwen-1 has been orbiting Mars for four years and eight months, making it one of the closest spacecraft to observe the interstellar object since its discovery (on May 7th, 2025).
Tianwen-1 Reveals the Comet's Tail and Coma
The new images show several features that support the conclusion that 3I/ATLAS is a comet. A visible tail extends behind the object, while a cloud of gas and dust (coma) surrounds its nucleus.
Researchers combined multiple images into an animation that traces the comet's movement as it travels toward its closest approach to the Sun. The observations add to growing evidence that 3I/ATLAS contains water and other volatile materials that began escaping as the object warmed during its journey through the inner solar system.
