Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is bursting with methanol
Astronomers using the ALMA telescope have discovered that the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS contains unusually high levels of methanol. This chemical fingerprint suggests the comet formed under unique conditions outside our solar system.
Why it matters
Analyzing the chemical composition of interstellar objects helps scientists understand the formation of planetary systems beyond our own.
Comet 3I/ATLAS is continuing to surprise astronomers. New observations from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), of which the U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) is a partner, show that the interstellar visitor contains an unusually large amount of methanol. In fact, its methanol abundance exceeds that seen in almost all known comets from our own solar system.
"Observing 3I/ATLAS is like taking a fingerprint from another solar system," shares Nathan Roth, lead author on this research, and a professor with American University, "The details reveal what it's made of, and it's bursting with methanol in a way we just don't usually see in comets in our own solar system."
A Chemical Fingerprint From Another Solar System
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in