Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Observed from Mars by China's Tianwen-1 Spacecraft

TL;DR

China's Tianwen-1 spacecraft captured the first deep-space images of interstellar object 3I/ATLAS from Mars, revealing dust dynamics and morphology changes over multiple epochs.

Contribution

This is China's first deep-space astronomical observation, providing unique imaging data of 3I/ATLAS from a vantage point out of its orbital plane.

Findings

Dust coma dominated by large grains with specific size range.

Dust ejection velocities estimated between 3 and 10 m/s.

Surface brightness profile consistent with steady-state dust outflow.

Abstract

China's Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter successfully imaged the third interstellar object, 3I/ATLAS, during its close encounter with Mars using the onboard HiRIC CMOS camera. This is China's first deep-space observation of an astronomical object. These observations constitute the first imaging of this object from a vantage point significantly out of its orbital plane, providing a unique constraint on dust dynamics. Three observing epochs between 2025 September 30 and October 3 reveal clear changes in coma and tail morphology driven by the rapidly evolving viewing geometry. Comparison with Finson-Probstein dust dynamical models indicates that the coma is dominated by large grains with solar radiation pressure parameter $\beta \approx 10^{-3} $ - $10^{-2}$, corresponding to grain sizes of a few 100s $\mu$m. The extent of the sunward coma implies dust ejection velocities of $3$ - $10$ m s$^{-1}$. Despite the morphological evolution, the azimuthally averaged surface brightness profile remains nearly unchanged through the three epochs, transitioning from a radial slope near -1 close to the nucleus to slightly steeper than -1.5 at larger cometocentric distances, consistent with steady-state dust outflow accelerated by solar radiation pressure. Photometry yields an average $Af\rho \sim (2.0\pm0.2)\times10^4$ cm and a corresponding dust mass loss rate of $\dot{M} \sim 10^3$ kg s$^{-1}$.