This visiting comet among the stars only continues to obtain the strangest

Since then since the comet of the comet 3i/Atlas It is equipped in our cosmic life In July, Astronomers were racing to reveal his characteristics. Now that the James Web telescope for a strong space was a good look at this overlapping ice, it seems strange to anyone imagining.

A Preprint The letters of the astronomical magazine to review the peer were presented on Monday, August 25, describing the first results of the 3i/Atlas JWST survey.

A team of guilty astronomers with the NirSPEC is close to measuring the composition of the coma-the gas and dust cloud that surrounds its daughter-and determines what drives its activity. Their sudden results reach the original 3i/atlas to a clearer focus, helping astronomers to restore the long journey of the comet to our solar system.

3i/ATLAS, which was discovered by ATLAS (the framework alert system (the last alert system) on July 1, is the only third object that was absolutely discovered. These heavenly bodies descend from stars systems outside our scope. Their studies offer a glimpse of the circumstances and operations that formed these distant systems. Over the past two months, researchers have already discovered unprecedented details about this cosmic visitor The last.

Jwst Pamies unusual properties

Now, JWST has unveiled more 3i/Atlas features. Most of the comets have a dominant coma, but this audio is full of carbon dioxide, according to the study. In fact, the researchers found that the ratio of carbon dioxide to the water is among the highest rates observed in any guilty. This may indicate that 3i/atlas has a nucleus rich in carbon dioxide, indicating that it was formed in an environment with higher levels of radiation from our solar system.

Instead, the carbon dioxide coma may indicate that 3i/Atlas was formed near the CO2 ice line inside the protoplabani disk that surrounds the mother star, according to researchers. This is the distance from a young star where the temperature drops low enough for carbon dioxide to freeze in the ice. Moreover, the lack of water in the coma indicates the unusual surface properties – or perhaps an insulating shell – that may prevent heat from penetrating the heart of the ice herelty.

The comet that does not fade out anything else

These new results indicate that the comet, which was formed in completely different circumstances from those in our corner of the galaxy, which adds to an increasing list of features that make it different from any of. Before this poll JWST, astronomers found evidence indicating 3i/atlas The oldest guilty among the stars he discovered at all– Old than our solar system. This, in addition to its path, indicates that it grew up from a relatively old, low-metal star system in the “thick disk” in the Milky Way-a part of the galaxy that contains 10 % of the total star block.

Astronomers have launched a wealth of amazing new information about 3i/atlas since its discovery, but this is only the beginning. Experts expect this comet to remain observed until mid -2016, providing extensive research opportunities. The more information that scientists collect about this being among the stars, the closer they are close to revealing the secrets of its origin.