"Our observations are compatible with an intrinsically CO2-rich nucleus, which may indicate that 3I/ATLAS contains ices exposed to higher levels of radiation than Solar System comets, or that it formed close to the CO2 ice line in its parent protoplanetary disk,"
"No one knows where the comet came from,"
"It's like glimpsing a rifle bullet for a thousandth of a second. You can't project that back with any accuracy to figure out where it started on its path."
James Webb Space Telescope observations show interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS traveling over 130,000 mph on an unusually flat, straight trajectory. Spectral measurements indicate an exceptionally high CO2-to-H2O ratio, possibly one of the highest recorded for a comet. An intrinsically CO2-rich nucleus could reflect ices exposed to higher radiation levels or formation near the CO2 ice line in its parent protoplanetary disk. Size estimates range from roughly 3.5 to 7 miles, making it the largest and fastest known interstellar comet. Age estimates suggest the object could be about 3 billion years older than the Solar System. Some scientists have proposed speculative alternatives, including artificial origins.
Read at London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
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