Prospects for the Crossing of Comet 3I/ATLAS's Ion Tail

Abstract

During October - November 2025, interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, will pass upstream of the Europa Clipper and Hera spacecraft. Here, we identify two potential opportunities for in-situ observations of 3I's ion tail by immersion, facilitated by the close alignment between the comet's hyperbolic trajectory with the ecliptic plane. During the period 30 October - 6 November 2025, it is predicted that Europa Clipper will potentially be immersed within the ion tail of 3I/ATLAS, providing the opportunity to detect the signatures of an interstellar comet's ion tail. Characteristic changes to the solar wind are also expected to be observed; a magnetic draping structure associated with the comet may be identifiable. It is further predicted that spacecraft Hera will possibly be immersed within the ion tail of 3I/ATLAS during the period 25 October - 1 November 2025.

Will be published in RNAAS

References in corpus (4)

• The Natural History of 'Oumuamua
• Water production rates and activity of interstellar comet 2I/Borisov
• Prospects for the In Situ detection of Comet C/2019 Y4 ATLAS by Solar Orbiter
• Prospects for the Crossing by Earth of Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS's Ion Tail

Cited by in corpus (1)

• Near-Discovery SOAR Photometry of the Third Interstellar Object: 3I/ATLAS