Mystery interstellar object could be oldest known comet
An intriguing interstellar object discovered last year may be the oldest known comet, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications. The object, named 'A/2017 U1', is believed to have originated from another planetary system and has been traveling through our solar system since its formation.
Researchers used NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope to analyze the object's composition and found that it possesses a much higher abundance of carbon monoxide (CO) than any other known comet. This rare composition indicates that the comet originated from a planetary system with different chemical processes than those occurring in our solar system.
lead author Dr. Zou Yan from the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said, "The unique properties of 2I/2017 U1 indicate that it likely formed in a different way than those in our solar system, providing valuable insight into the chemical diversity of interstellar objects and the origins of the solar system.
The Ongoing Mystery of 'Oumuamua
The study also presents a challenge to the current understanding of comet formation. The rare chemical composition of A/2017 U1 suggests that it underwent a different set of chemical processes than those occurring in the early solar system. Determining the precise origins and chemical composition of A/2017 U1 will require further observations and analytical studies.
"The nature of this object is a mystery, " said co-author Dr. Alan Stern, principal investigator of NASA's New Horizons Kuiper Belt Extended Mission. "But with every new observation, we gather more data points, bringing us one step closer to solving the mystery of exactly where it came from."
