- 3I/ATLAS, first spotted in 2025, could be older than our Solar System, originating from an ancient planetary system nearly 12 billion years ago.
- Initial speculation that 3I/ATLAS could be an alien spacecraft was dispelled by the SETI Institute, which found no signs of otherworldly technology on the object after extensive radio scans.
- The hydrogen content in 3I/ATLAS is significantly different from Solar System comets, with 0.98% deuterium compared to less than 0.1% in Solar System comets, indicating an older origin.
- Analysis of the comet's chemical elements revealed that it had a composition unlike any Solar System body, with extreme isotopic signatures indicating formation in a cold environment around minus 243C about 12 billion years ago.
- Isotopic measurements of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS reveal an elemental composition unlike any Solar System body.
- Such extreme isotopic signatures indicate formation at temperatures about 30 Kelvin in a relatively metal-poor environment.
- The carbon isotopic composition implies that 3I/ATLAS may have accreted as long ago as 12 billion years, following a period of intense, early star formation.
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, first detected in 2025, has been confirmed to be older than the Solar System, with estimates suggesting an age between 7 billion and 12 billion years. Initial studies indicate that its age is based on stellar observations in the Milky Way, revealing a composition unlike any known Solar System body.12357
The comet's isotopic measurements show it contains 10 times as much deuterium as any known comet, with a hydrogen content of 0.98% deuterium, significantly higher than typical Solar System values. This suggests it formed in a cold environment at temperatures around minus 243°C.
The SETI Institute has dispelled earlier speculation that 3I/ATLAS could be an alien spacecraft, confirming through extensive radio scans that there are no signs of extraterrestrial technology. The findings indicate that the comet likely originated from an ancient planetary system, possibly formed during a period of intense early star formation nearly 12 billion years ago.4
As researchers continue to analyze 3I/ATLAS, the evidence increasingly supports the conclusion that it is not only older than our Solar System but also represents a unique glimpse into the early universe, challenging our understanding of cosmic history.
“Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is confirmed to be older than our Solar System, potentially originating from an ancient planetary system nearly 12 billion years ago. Initial speculation of it being an alien spacecraft has been dispelled by the SETI Institute, which found no signs of otherworldly technology.”
Big Think