Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Formed Up To 12 Billion Years Ago, New Observations Suggest
Astronomers have analyzed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS using the James Webb Space Telescope, revealing a chemical composition that suggests it formed 10 to 12 billion years ago. The high levels of deuterium indicate the object originated in a cold environment long before the formation of our own Solar System.
Why it matters
Studying ancient interstellar objects provides critical insights into the early history of the Milky Way and helps scientists understand how unique or common our own Solar System's formation process is.
The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS carries a chemical fingerprint unlike anything in our Solar System, and it may have formed 10 to 12 billion years ago, before our Sun even existed, according to two papers published in the journal Nature .
The article reports on scientific findings from peer-reviewed research without political or social framing.
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