Juice Spacecraft Captures Stunning Image of Comet 3I/ATLAS Ahead of Upcoming Data Release

In November 2025, the European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) conducted a series of observations of the comet 3I/ATLAS using five of its scientific instruments. This mission aimed to gather crucial data on the comet’s activities and composition. Aside from the scientific tools, Juice also captured an image of the comet with its Navigation Camera, which, while not intended for high-resolution photography, aids in the spacecraft’s navigation towards Jupiter’s icy moons, slated for arrival in 2031.

Although the detailed data from the scientific instruments will not arrive on Earth until February 2026, the Juice team opted to download a portion of a NavCam image immediately, eager to see the results. The captured image revealed a distinct view of the comet, showcasing a bright halo of gas known as the coma, along with indications of two distinct tails. The comet’s plasma tail, comprised of electrically charged gases, can be seen extending upwards in the image, while a fainter dust tail, made up of tiny solid particles, appears to extend diagonally to the lower left.

The photograph was taken on November 2, 2025, during Juice’s initial observation window for 3I/ATLAS, just two days ahead of the spacecraft’s closest approach to the comet on November 4, which occurred at a distance of approximately 66 million kilometers. The full data from the five scientific instruments—JANUS, MAJIS, UVS, SWI, and PEP—are expected to arrive on February 18 and 20, 2026. The delay in receiving data is due to Juice using its primary high-gain antenna as a heat shield against solar radiation, relegating its smaller medium-gain antenna to transmit data at a significantly reduced rate.

Although Juice was situated farther from 3I/ATLAS compared to Mars orbiters earlier in October, it observed the comet shortly after its closest approach to the Sun, suggesting heightened activity. This increase in activity is anticipated to manifest in the forthcoming scientific data, which will include high-resolution images from the JANUS camera, spectrometry data from MAJIS and UVS, composition data from SWI, and particle measurements from PEP. For ongoing updates and additional information related to comet 3I/ATLAS, ESA’s website provides resources at esa.int/3IATLAS.