Interstellar Comet 3I/Atlas Has Another Surprise: It's Full of Alcohol

"Observations from the ALMA telescope in Chile's Atacama Desert show that the coma of this celestial object is heavily enriched in methanol, a type of alcohol common in fuels and solvents. Although methanol is commonly found in comets in the solar system, 3I/Atlas contained up to four times the typical amount."

"The combination of excess methanol, a carbon dioxide-dominated coma, and other atypical chemical ratios supports the hypothesis that 3I/Atlas formed in an environment that is colder, more irradiated, or chemically distinct from any region where comets in the solar system formed."

"In this case, a significant fraction of methanol came from detached ices that sublimated during the comet's approach to the sun. This behavior fits with that of hyperactive comets and reinforces the idea that 3I/Atlas is a natural, extremely cold, and chemically complex object."

Comet 3I/Atlas, now leaving the solar system, exhibits unusual chemical composition revealed through ALMA telescope observations. The comet's coma contains exceptionally high methanol concentrations—up to four times typical levels—along with elevated amounts of carbon dioxide, iron, and nitrogen. This atypical composition suggests 3I/Atlas formed in a colder, more irradiated, or chemically distinct environment than solar system comets. The comet likely belongs to the hyperactive comet category, releasing gases from both its nucleus and sublimating ice grains in its coma. The methanol and other volatile compounds originated from detached ices that sublimated during the comet's solar approach, supporting the hypothesis of a natural, extremely cold, and chemically complex interstellar object.

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