Ancient Interstellar Visitor 3I/Atlas May Be the Solar System’s Oldest Object
TL;DR
Astronomers say the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas could be as old as 12 billion years, potentially the oldest object observed in our solar system. Isotopic data from the JWST and ALMA show an unusually high deuterium content and formation in an extremely cold environment, suggesting an origin outside the solar system; NASA says there’s no evidence of extraterrestrial technology. Future observations with the Rubin Observatory are expected to reveal more interstellar visitors.
- Interstellar comet may be oldest object seen in our solar system, research finds The Guardian
- NASA’s Webb Finds Clues to Ancient, Distant Origin of Comet 3I/ATLAS NASA Science (.gov)
- The Chemistry of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Is Unlike Anything We've Ever Seen ScienceAlert
- Radio scans find no alien tech from the latest interstellar comet Phys.org
- Gemini North Spots the Changing Comet 3I/ATLAS NOIRLab
Want the full story? Read the original reporting
Read on The Guardian