The first observation of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS by the James Webb Space Telescope has revealed something strange.

On August 6, astronomers observed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope.

According to a new study, scientists have detected anomalies in the initial images of the comet taken by the Webb telescope. The data was collected as the object moved toward the Sun.

Initial results from the analysis show that 3I/ATLAS has one of the highest ratios of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to water (H₂O) of any known comet. Confirmation of this fact could solve the mystery of the origin of an object formed outside the solar system.

Since its identification in July, the scientific community has been actively studying the comet using various observatories. 3I/ATLAS is the third interstellar object in history to be confirmed. Researchers are rushing to collect data before it moves away from the Sun in October.

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The August 6 observations were made using JWST's near-infrared spectrograph to analyze the comet's light emission. Preliminary findings were published on August 25 in the Zenodo repository and are awaiting peer review.

When comets approach stars, they form a coma — a cloud of gas and dust that brightens as it heats up. According to JWST data, 3I/ATLAS's atmosphere is mostly CO₂.

Scientists suggest that the anomalous concentration of carbon dioxide is associated either with radiation exposure or with the formation of an object near the CO₂ freezing zone (CO₂ ice lines) in the protoplanetary disk – a region of gas and dust around young stars.

“The results indicate a CO₂-enriched core, which may indicate long-term radiative forcing or the formation of CO₂ ice near the line,” the study notes.

New data confirms that 3I/ATLAS is moving on an exceptionally smooth trajectory at a speed of more than 210,000 km/h, which is unusual for objects in the Solar System.

Initial estimates of the comet's size were 11 km, but Hubble observations have adjusted this to 5.6 km. Despite this, 3I/ATLAS remains the largest interstellar body ever recorded. The object is thought to be over 7.6 billion years old, making it older than the Solar System. The comet's origin remains unknown.

Some hypotheses are controversial. For example, a recent preprint put forward the idea that the object may be artificial. However, experts called these assumptions “devoid of scientific basis.”

Hubble image 3I/ATLAS taken July 21. READ ALSO

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The comet's record speed, according to NASA, indicates that it has been traveling through the galaxy for billions of years with acceleration from gravitational maneuvers.

“The origin of the object remains a mystery,” said David Jewitt, an astronomer at UCLA. “It's like trying to determine the trajectory of a bullet from a snapshot.”

TAGS James Webb Space Telescope carbon dioxide Solar System

Patrick Pester, scientific author

Patrick Pester is a science journalist at Live Science. His work has appeared in BBC Science Focus and Scientific American. He began his career in conservation before moving into journalism. He holds a Master's Excellence Scholarship from Cardiff University and an MSc in Biodiversity. In his spare time, he studies the biological artifacts trade market.

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