Astronomers discover new insights about interstellar object 3I/ATLAS pointing to its ancient origin

These isotopic proportions serve as records of the conditions that existed at the comet's formation site. Since they generally remain stable during travel through space, they allow for comparisons of the origins of different celestial bodies. According to Aravind Krishnakumar, a researcher from the STAR Institute at the University of Liège and a member of the group, 3I/ATLAS exhibits unusual chemical characteristics compared to known solar system comets. He noted: 'Unlike the comets in our Solar System, this interstellar visitor has exceptionally high isotopic ratios of carbon and nitrogen.'

Additional Discoveries and Prospects

Another study conducted by a group associated with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and published in the journal Nature revealed similar signs when analyzing data from the James Webb Space Telescope. This work also found a high content of deuterium, a form of hydrogen known as heavy hydrogen. All collected data indicate that 3I/ATLAS may have formed in a distant region of a system associated with an old, low-metallicity star. Such stars have few elements heavier than helium in their composition and are linked to periods when the Universe was chemically less enriched.

Rosemary Dorsey, a researcher from the University of Helsinki and co-author of the study, emphasized that the comet offers an opportunity to study the composition of another planetary system that formed before the Sun and the most well-known planetary structure to humanity. She stated: '3I/ATLAS is a truly exciting opportunity to study the composition of another planetary system that formed long before the existence of our Sun and Solar System.'

Researchers claim that the evidence gathered by different groups points to an age exceeding twice the age of the Sun. However, observing this object is becoming increasingly difficult as it moves away from the star and loses brightness. ESO reported that observations of 3I/ATLAS with the VLT are nearing completion but noted that the future Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) will be able to provide similar studies of new interstellar objects, including fainter ones.

For Cyrielle Opitom, the field of studying objects from other systems is still in its early stages, and every new discovery may reveal unexpected features. The researcher stressed that scientists do not yet fully understand what to expect from these cosmic visitors.