NASA Clipper Accidentally Snaps Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Near Earth

• NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft unexpectedly captured images of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS during its rare flyby near Earth.
• The accidental observation provided valuable scientific data using instruments designed for Clipper's primary mission to Jupiter's moon Europa.
• Comet 3I/ATLAS made its closest approach to Earth on December 18-19, remaining 168 million miles away but visible to powerful backyard telescopes as a faint green dot.
• Clipper's Europa Ultraviolet Spectrograph observed the comet on November 6, revealing details beyond visible light and confirming carbon dioxide ice and diatomic carbon gas.
• Both the comet and Europa Clipper are heading towards Jupiter, with the comet reaching it in 2026 and Clipper in 2030 for its mission to search for life conditions on Europa.

Why It Matters: NASA's Europa Clipper accidentally observed interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, yielding unexpected scientific insights.