Comet 3I/ATLAS, which some theorize is an alien spacecraft, left behind a trail of organic molecules as it passed through the solar system. NASA reports this based on data from the SPHEREx space mission.
“We are currently observing a variety of common materials, including organic molecules, soot and rock dust, that are typically ejected by comets (as they approach the Sun),” the publication said.
Scientists have determined that the sun's heat has melted the ice in this area. Then, the mixture of chemicals begins to escape from its surface, creating a dusty gas shell – a coma. Analysis in 102 infrared bands shows that the exhaust gas contains compounds characteristic of the early Solar System.
Comet 3I/ATLAS accelerates as it approaches Earth
Previously, the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences announced that 3I/ATLAS could reach Jupiter on March 16, 2026.
“Jupiter's transit, even when stripped of conspiracy theories, still represents one of the most notable features of the 3I/ATLAS orbit,” the researchers noted.
