James Webb Telescope Discovers Carbon Dioxide Dominance in Outgassing from Interstellar 3I/Atlas

Quick Summary

• 3I/ATLAS is the third confirmed interstellar object observed by telescopes and is possibly the oldest comet ever detected,at approximately 7 billion years old-3 billion years older than the solar system.
• it originates from the Milky Way galaxy core, located about 30,000 light-years away, making it an exceptionally rare find.
• Observations by JWST (james Webb Space Telescope),Hubble Telescope,and SPHEREx aim to determine its physical properties and chemical makeup.
• Analysis reveals unusually high levels of carbon dioxide relative to water in its coma-the highest ratio ever seen in a comet-suggesting unique formation conditions either within intense radiation zones or near a carbon dioxide ice line during planetary formation around another star.
• Low levels of water vapor suggest internal processes limiting heat penetration into its icy core.
• The comet’s activity appears brighter than expected with multiple peculiar characteristics calling for further scrutiny.

Indian Opinion analysis
The observation of interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS provides invaluable details about cosmic phenomena beyond our solar system and offers insights into early planetary formation conditions across diverse star systems. For India-which has strong interests in space exploration through initiatives such as ISRO’s Chandrayaan missions-a deeper understanding of interstellar objects can strengthen collaborations in global astronomical research and expand future scientific capabilities using indigenous technology platforms like ASTROSAT or upcoming projects linked to deep-space ventures.

India’s competent footprint in advanced optics progress could also contribute instrumentation improvements required for similar studies. This investigation underscores humanity’s shared quest for understanding cosmic origins-a domain where India continues gaining prominence through innovative ideas grounded on both domestic resolve and international participation intensity.

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