A mysterious cosmic traveller has left scientists both amazed and curious. The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, spotted far from the Sun, has been caught releasing water vapour — something that usually doesn’t happen at such cold distances.
This rare find not only challenges what we thought we knew about comets but also gives us fresh clues about how life-supporting materials like water may travel across the galaxy.
What Makes 3I/ATLAS So Special?
3I/ATLAS is only the third interstellar object ever seen passing through our solar system. The first was ‘Oumuamua in 2017, and the second was comet Borisov in 2019.
But ATLAS is different. Scientists using NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory discovered that it was releasing water even though it was nearly three times farther from the Sun than Earth — a region that is normally too cold for ice to melt or turn into gas.
Usually, comets release water when they get close to the Sun, as the heat causes ice to sublimate (turn directly from solid to gas). But 3I/ATLAS began emitting water much earlier, which is something never seen before from an interstellar object.
How Is Water Released So Far from the Sun?
Researchers believe ATLAS uses a rare two-step process to release water:
- First, tiny ice grains are ejected from the comet’s surface.
- Then, these grains slowly heat up in space and release water vapour.
At least 8% of ATLAS’s surface appears to be active, much more than the 3–5% typically seen in regular comets. Scientists think that easily accessible ice or dust grains are helping this unusual activity. This kind of outgassing (release of gas) shows that ATLAS may have a very different internal structure compared to most comets.
Could Comets Like ATLAS Be Carrying Life’s Ingredients?
The discovery is more than just interesting — it may help explain how life began on Earth. Interstellar comets like ATLAS could act as cosmic delivery vehicles, carrying water and organic compounds (carbon-based molecules) across space and from one solar system to another.
By studying what these comets are made of, scientists can learn how water and the building blocks of life might move between planets. ATLAS, for example, is rich in water but poor in a molecule called cyanogen (CN), which suggests it came from a region with low carbon — maybe near a young, metal-poor star.
This makes ATLAS very different from its cousins:
- ‘Oumuamua was dry and rocky.
- Borisov was rich in carbon monoxide.
These differences show that every interstellar object may have formed in a different kind of planetary system — giving us a glimpse of how varied the universe really is.
What This Tells Us About the Galaxy
Scientists say that studying comets like 3I/ATLAS helps us understand how solar systems — including ours — form and evolve. Each interstellar visitor brings new knowledge about distant stars and planets.
According to lead researcher Zexi Xing, the activity of ATLAS could even lead to updates in how we model comets in general.
This discovery might also inspire future space missions. One day, we could send a spacecraft to intercept a comet like ATLAS, allowing us to directly collect material from another star system — a truly groundbreaking opportunity in space research.
The case of 3I/ATLAS is a rare cosmic event that’s changing how scientists think about comets, water in space, and even the origins of life. Its unexpected water activity far from the Sun opens up new questions about how icy bodies behave in the coldest parts of space.
By studying these interstellar objects, we may not only uncover the secrets of distant worlds but also find clues about how life-supporting materials travel across the universe — and how life on Earth might have started.
FAQ Section:
What is 3I/ATLAS?
3I/ATLAS is the third confirmed interstellar object to pass through our solar system. It surprised scientists by releasing water far from the Sun.
How is 3I/ATLAS different from other interstellar comets?
Unlike ‘Oumuamua and Borisov, 3I/ATLAS showed intense water activity while still in a cold region of space, which is highly unusual.
Why is the water release from 3I/ATLAS important?
It challenges current theories about comet behaviour and may reveal how water and organic molecules travel across the galaxy.
What does the discovery mean for our understanding of life’s origins?
It supports the idea that interstellar objects could carry water and life-building materials between star systems, possibly seeding planets.
Could we study interstellar comets more closely in the future?
Yes, researchers hope to one day send missions to intercept such objects and collect samples for direct analysis.
