Astronomers Discover Water Traces in Interstellar Visitor
For millions of years, a tiny icy fragment wandered through space, arriving in our solar system this summer. Scientists named it 3I/ATLAS, the third known interstellar comet, originating from another star system.
Researchers from Auburn University used NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to study this comet, making a groundbreaking discovery: a faint glow from hydroxyl gas (OH), indicating water was escaping from the comet.
This marks the first time water-related activity has been detected in an interstellar comet. Normally, Earth-based telescopes can't detect such faint ultraviolet light due to atmospheric interference.
A "message in a bottle" arrived in our solar system, carrying signs of water from another star system.
Author's summary: Astronomers detect water in interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS.
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