CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The comet that rambled past us from another star last year likely originated in a cold, isolated corner of the galaxy that had yet to gel into its own solar system, astronomers reported Thursday.
Comet 3I/Atlas is only the third interstellar visitor to be confirmed and quite possibly the oldest. Scientists estimate it could be up to 11 billion years old, more than twice as old as the sun.
kAmp E62> =65 3J E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 |:49:82? FD65 E96 p{|p @3D6CG2E@CJ 😕 r9:=6’D pE242>2 s6D6CE E@ 6I2>:?6 E96 4@>6E =2DE 72==] %96 6CC2?E 3FE 92C>=6DD :4632== H2D 5:D4@G6C65 =2DE DF>>6C[ 8:G:?8 }p$p 2?5 E96 tFC@A62? $A246 p86?4J A=6?EJ @7 E:>6 E@ 2:> >F=E:A=6 DA246 E6=6D4@A6D 2E :E 2D :E K@@>65 A2DE |2CD 😕 ~4E@36C 2?5 >256 :ED 4=@D6DE 2AAC@249 E@ t2CE9 😕 s646>36C] xE’D ?@H H6== A2DE yFA:E6C @? :ED H2J @FE @7 @FC D@=2C DJDE6> 7@C 8@@5[ DE:== G:D:3=6 @?=J E@ E96 AC@76DD:@?2=D]k^Am
kAmx? E96 DEF5J[ D4:6?E:DED D2:5 E96J 56E64E65 6IEC6>6=J 9:89 2>@F?ED @7 56FE6C:F>[ @C 962GJ 9J5C@86?[ 😕 E96 4@>6E’D H2E6C] %92E DF886DED E92E E96 4@>6E @C:8:?2E65 😕 2 A=246 4@?D:56C23=J 4@=56C — 367@C6 E96 DE2C @7 E9:D D@=2C DJDE6> 6G6? 7@C>65 — E92? @FC @H? 4@D>:4 ?6:893@C9@@5[ D2:5 E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 |:49:82?’D %6C6D2 !2?6BF6\r2CC6?@]k^Am
kAm(9:=6 @FC DF? >2J 92G6 366? DFCC@F?565 3J @E96C ?6H3@C? DE2CD 2D :E H2D 7@C>:?8[ D96 ?@E65[ E9:D 4@>6E’D 9@>6 DE2C 4@F=5 92G6 366? >@C6 @7 2 =@?6C[ =625:?8 E@ =6DD 962E:?8 2?5 4@=56C 4@?5:E:@?D]k^Am
kAm%96 7:?5:?8D H6C6 AF3=:D965 😕 }2EFC6 pDEC@?@>J]k^Am
kAm%96 4@>6E’D AC64:D6 A=246 @7 @C:8:? 😀 DE:== F?@H?] ~3D6CG2E:@?D 3J E96 wF33=6 $A246 %6=6D4@A6 AFE E96 D:K6 @7 :ED ?F4=6FD D@>6H96C6 36EH66? 2 BF2CE6C\>:=6 2?5 b]d >:=6D Wcc_ >6E6CD 2?5 d]e <:=@>6E6CDX] xE’D 9FCE=:?8 2H2J 2E `bf[___ >A9 Waa_[___
kAm{:?<:?8 2== E96D6 “AFKK=6 A:646D E@86E96C >2J 8:G6 2? :562 E@ 9@H E96 A=2?6E\7@C>:?8 4@?5:E:@?D H6C6 2E E96D6 62C=J E:>6D[” !2?6BF6\r2CC6?@ D2:5 😕 2? 6>2:=]k^Am
kAm%96 7:CDE @H? :?E6CDE6==2C @3;64E E@ DEC2J :?E@ @FC 46=6DE:2= 324F2>F2 — H2D 5:D4@G6C65 3J 2 E6=6D4@A6 😕 w2H2:: 😕 a_`f] r@>6E ax^q@C:D@G 7@==@H65 😕 a_`h[ ?2>65 7@C E96 rC:>62? 2>2E6FC 2DEC@?@>6C H9@ 7:CDE DA@EE65 :E]k^Am