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Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Reveals Clues from Another Star System
Developing
In Short: Astronomers have discovered that the third interstellar object, 3I/ATLAS, contains unique water signatures, suggesting it originated in the outskirts of an old star system.
Astronomers have identified 3I/ATLAS as the third interstellar object discovered, following 1I/ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov. Led by Dr. Opitom, the study, published in Nature Astronomy, reveals new insights into this comet's composition.
3I/ATLAS was observed as it approached the Sun, allowing detailed analysis. Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), researchers detected elevated levels of deuterated water, a finding not observed in Solar System comets.
By studying 3I/ATLAS with the Very Large Telescope, scientists discovered that the comet likely originated in the outer regions of an old star system. This is the first time such chemical fingerprints have been observed in an interstellar comet.
Dr. Opitom notes, 'The field of interstellar objects is still very new, and we do not really know what to expect. Every time a new one is discovered, we have new surprises.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- While it was difficult to measure the composition of the first two interstellar objects — in the first astronomers didn’t detect gas and the second was too faint — this was not the case for 3I/ATLAS.
Sources
- Eso.orglink