A comet from beyond our solar system shows dramatically higher levels of deuterium-rich water than any object seen locally. The findings suggest it formed under much colder conditions than those in our own planetary neighborhood. Researchers used observations from two major telescopes to make the measurements.
The object, known as 3I/ATLAS, is only the third confirmed interstellar visitor detected in our solar system. Astronomers spotted it less than a year ago and quickly began detailed follow-up studies. A team led by the University of Michigan analyzed its water composition and found deuterium levels roughly 30 times higher than in solar system comets and 40 times higher than in Earth's oceans.