NASA's James Webb makes 1st methane detection on interstellar 3I/ATLAS
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope just made a first-of-its-kind discovery: it spotted methane on the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, marking the first time this gas has been directly observed on something from beyond our solar system.
The findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, are based on data collected on December 15-16 and December 27 using Webb's advanced infrared technology.
Methane and CO2 imply extrasolar origin
Methane only showed up after the comet swung close to the Sun, meaning it was hidden under surface ice and released as things warmed up.
Even more interesting, 3I/ATLAS has way more methane and carbon dioxide compared to water than comets we know from our own solar system.
Scientists think this means it formed in a totally different environment around another star, giving us new clues about what's out there beyond our cosmic neighborhood.