Interstellar Visitor 3I/ATLAS Just Got Even Weirder, And May Contain 10-Billion-Year-Old Material
⟶ The James Webb Space Telescope has detected ice signatures on the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. These signatures suggest a link between the comet and worlds beyond Neptune. The comet's methane shows a deuterium-to-hydrogen ratio 13 times higher than that of comet 67P.
Webb links interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS to worlds beyond Neptune through similar ice signatures. Deuterium-to-hydrogen ratio in 3I/ATLAS methane is 13 times higher than in 67P — ScienceAlert.
Background
The comet 3I/ATLAS is an interstellar visitor. Comet 67P is a known comet.
Why it matters
The high deuterium-to-hydrogen ratio found in 3I/ATLAS suggests it may contain material that is 10 billion years old. This discovery could provide insights into the early conditions of planetary formation.
Possible impact
The observations link interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS to worlds beyond Neptune.