Scientists Traced Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS to an Extremely Cold Origin

Astronomers studying interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS say its water has unusually high deuterium, pointing to formation in a very cold, isolated region.

Using ALMA and Hubble data, researchers estimated the comet’s size, trajectory, and possible age as it exits our solar system.

The findings, published in Nature Astronomy, provide a rare glimpse into the chemistry and conditions of an ancient planet-forming environment beyond the Sun.

3I/ATLAS may be even older than 2I/Borisov and could date back as far as 11 billion years.