Study reveals that interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is twice the age of the Sun
A recent scientific investigation has brought to light unprecedented data regarding the formation of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, recognized as the third celestial body from outside our cosmic neighborhood to be detected. The survey, published in the pages of the prestigious scientific journal Nature Astronomy, points out that this space object acts as a true “cosmic fossil”. Its structure indicates an origin around a star significantly older than our Sun, carrying light chemical elements that mark the beginnings of the universe.
Led by experts from the University of Edinburgh, in the United Kingdom, in partnership with the University of Liège, in Belgium, space exploration used the Very Large Telescope (VLT), equipment operated by the European Southern Observatory. This cutting-edge machinery allowed researchers to measure, in an unprecedented way, the isotopic ratios of a celestial body coming from another galactic region. This measurement works as a unique chemical signature, capable of detailing the exact environment in which the object was generated.
“They represent relics of a planet creation mechanism that unfolded at unimaginable distances, but that now has the chance to be examined in a much more intimate way”, highlighted astronomer Cyrielle Opitom, who acts as the main author of the survey, in an official press release.
More on this story: Comet 3I/Atlas travels at 57 km/s and reveals secrets of other star systems
The celestial body’s journey to cross the border of our Solar System
Celestial bodies in this category are essentially blocks of ice and dust that are born in the vicinity of other stars and, due to intense gravitational disturbances, end up thrown out of their original homes. It is an extremely rare event that these traveling rocks manage to intercept the orbit of the planets that orbit our Sun.
3I/ATLAS stands out for being only the third cosmic intruder of its class to be cataloged by astronomers, following in the footsteps of other famous visitors. The chronology of these space discoveries includes:
Learn more: Destruction of celestial body 3I/ATLAS by solar heat reveals chemistry of distant galaxies
- The pioneer ‘Oumuamua, whose passage was sighted and recorded in 2017.
- Comet 2I/Borisov, which was detected crossing our neighborhood in 2019.
- The current 3I/ATLAS, whose great difference lies in its intense luminosity, enabling detailed scrutiny of its internal chemical composition.
To carry out the measurement, the scientific team coupled the UVES instrument to the VLT telescope, with the aim of calculating the exact proportions between different variants of carbon and nitrogen found in the cyanide molecules released by the comet’s wake. These isotopic markers act as a historical archive of the physical conditions at the time of their genesis, remaining practically unchanged over billions of years of travel through the vacuum of space.
“When compared to comets that inhabit our own cosmic backyard, this interstellar traveler has isotopic levels of carbon and nitrogen that are completely out of the norm”, explained Aravind Krishnakumar, a researcher who also co-authored the scientific article.
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Chemical evidence points to an origin prior to the formation of the Earth and the Sun
Laboratory analyzes suggest that 3I/ATLAS took shape at the ends of a planetary system that orbited a star with very low metallicity, a classification given to stars that have a shortage of elements heavier than helium. This type of stellar configuration is a hallmark of the first generations of stars in the cosmos, which emerged at a time when the universe was still young and had not been enriched by large supernova explosions.
If this theory is confirmed, the comet will surpass the age of our entire planetary neighborhood. The data collected points to a space artifact that is more than twice the age of the Sun, which was formed around 4.6 billion years ago. Considering that the universe is approximately 13.8 billion years old, the object would have been born in the first chapters of cosmic history, becoming a direct window into the remote past.
On the same topic: Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS helps astronomers reconstruct early Milky Way conditions
“3I/ATLAS gives us a fascinating chance to investigate the structure of an alien planetary system, which was consolidated long before our Sun and Earth even existed”, celebrated scientist Rosemary Dorsey, reinforcing the importance of the find.
These discoveries are in perfect agreement with a parallel survey, also published by Nature magazine, which was based on images captured by the powerful James Webb Space Telescope. This group of experts found an equivalent rate of carbon isotopes and high concentrations of deuterium, popularly called heavy hydrogen, consolidating the idea that the rock was born in a scenario drastically different from that which shaped local comets. In addition, scans carried out by the ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) antenna complex detected abnormal volumes of deuterated water in the celestial body, providing further evidence of its primordial nature.
As 3I/ATLAS continues its trajectory away from the Sun, its brightness drops drastically, making monitoring increasingly complex for teams on the ground. However, the astronomical community believes that this passage is just the beginning of a golden age in research into interstellar invaders. In the coming years, the inauguration of the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), currently under construction by the European Southern Observatory (ESO), promises to deliver the ability to perform similar examinations on much darker and more distant targets.
“The segment focused on interstellar celestial bodies is still in its infancy and we are not clear about what the future holds for us. With each new detection, we are treated to absolute surprises”, concluded Opitom, closing the assessment of the impact of the research.
