Scientists using the IRAM 30-m Telescope have taken a closer look at 3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar object ever identified passing through our Solar System. Their observations provide a rare opportunity to study the composition of material that formed around another star.
By observing the gases surrounding 3I/ATLAS, the team was able to identify several molecules and compare their abundances with those found in comets from our own Solar System. The results reveal a number of striking differences, including a notably low abundance of HCN and a low sulfur-to-carbon ratio. The observations also showed that the gas surrounding 3I/ATLAS is expanding much more slowly than expected. This unusual behaviour may indicate that the comet’s activity is driven by heavier molecules or by icy grains releasing material close to the nucleus. Studying objects such as 3I/ATLAS allows scientists to explore how the chemical composition of planetary building blocks varies between planetary systems. Further observations of interstellar objects will help determine whether the unusual properties of 3I/ATLAS are unique or representative of a broader population. The results are published in Astronomy & Astrophysics (DOI). Read the full IRAM press release
Image Credit: Interstellar_COMET_3I-ATLAS-N.Biver