tech
Interstellar comet that zoomed past Earth could be oldest and coldest object ever seen in solar system, astronomers say
An interstellar comet that blazed past the sun and swung by Earth last year could be nearly three times older than our solar system and is unlike anything ever before seen in our cosmic backyard, astronomers said Monday.
TL;DR
- Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, observed last year, is the third such object detected from beyond our solar system.
- New research suggests the comet could be up to 12 billion years old, potentially making it the oldest object observed in our solar system.
- Its chemical composition, particularly a high ratio of deuterium (heavy water), indicates it formed in an extremely cold environment (minus 243 degrees Celsius).
- The comet's elemental makeup is unlike any known solar system body, and it shows a lack of chemical enrichment, possibly suggesting formation near young stars or during an early cosmic era.
- While theories of alien spacecraft have been dismissed by NASA and SETI, the unique nature of the comet provides an unprecedented opportunity to study interstellar objects.
- Astronomers anticipate discovering more interstellar objects in the future with new observatories.