Overview
- Fresh releases from ESA’s Mars orbiter and China’s Tianwen‑1, taken during the Oct 2–3 Mars pass and published this week, show a bright coma with no discernible tail.
- Post‑perihelion views from multiple ground observatories likewise reveal a compact, tail‑less glow as the object emerges from solar glare.
- Analyses from Oct 31 to Nov 4 report significant mass loss and a small non‑gravitational shift in motion, with teams investigating possible drivers.
- Hubble data cap the solid nucleus at no more than about 5.6 km across, while early spectra point to CO2‑rich emissions consistent with formation in a very cold region.
- The comet will pass safely about 270 million km from Earth on Dec 19, with coordinated campaigns queued across JWST, Hubble, JUICE, Mars assets and ground telescopes as it returns to view.