The interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, roughly the size of Manhattan, is making headlines as it travels through our solar system, producing a metal alloy that has never before been seen in nature. According to Harvard astrophysicist Dr. Avi Loeb, recent images captured by the Keck II telescope in Hawaii revealed that 3I/ATLAS is emitting a plume that contains an extraordinary four grams of nickel per second without showing any traces of iron—an unprecedented occurrence in comets.
This unique emission results in a compound known as nickel tetracarbonyl, a substance typically only found in industrial applications. Dr. Loeb emphasized that this phenomenon has not been observed in any other celestial bodies, particularly other known comets, where nickel and iron typically appear in similar quantities. The refined compound produced by 3I/ATLAS is commonly used in manufacturing, particularly in metal coatings for the aerospace industry, underscoring its practical significance.
The findings from the new study released by researchers from the Keck Observatory suggest that while this nickel-producing phenomenon is unusual, it may occur naturally. However, Dr. Loeb disagrees, asserting that the processes observed could only arise from industrial practices and have “never been seen in comets before.”
Additional observations of 3I/ATLAS reveal another curious aspect: it lacks the cometary tail that is usually associated with such objects. “Typically, we observe beautiful tails extending away from the sun, but in this case, there’s no evidence of such a tail,” Loeb explained, noting that the Hubble Space Telescope captured an unusual stream of material flowing towards the Sun at a rate of 330 pounds per second. This stream primarily consists of carbon dioxide and water, with detectable traces of cyanide and nickel, but notably absent of iron.
Excitement continues to build among skywatchers as they await images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s HiRISE camera, taken between October 4 and 7, when 3I/ATLAS passed by Mars at a distance of just 12 million miles. Unfortunately, the release of these images has been delayed due to ongoing government shutdowns affecting NASA’s communications department. Dr. Loeb expressed frustration at the situation, emphasizing the public’s desire for scientific data over bureaucratic issues.
The upcoming images from the HiRISE camera are anticipated to provide humanity with some of the closest observations of 3I/ATLAS during its brief journey through our inner solar system, potentially offering critical insights into this puzzling interstellar visitor. Such discoveries not only widen our understanding of the cosmos but also hint at the novel interactions between celestial bodies and the forces at play in our universe.