According to reports from Washington, a mysterious celestial event has astonished astronomers around the world — the comet 31/ATLAS (C/2020 R4 ATLAS), which recently entered our solar system, is releasing water vapor into space.
NASA sources have revealed that the comet is ejecting about 40 kilograms of water vapor per second, an unexpectedly intense and extraordinary phenomenon. The comet’s icy particles, which are extremely fine, are being expelled into space. As these ice grains warm up, they release droplets of water in the form of vapor.
What’s even more surprising is that this activity is happening while the comet is located 450 million kilometers away from the Sun — a region of space so cold that ice is not expected to sublimate. NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory recorded that the comet was nearly three times farther from the Sun than the Earth, yet it was still emitting water vapor.
Typically, such a distant comet would remain frozen solid. Therefore, scientists are puzzled by how and why water vapor is being expelled from its nucleus, making this event one of the great mysteries of modern astronomy.
Astronomers believe that Comet ATLAS may have originated from outside our solar system, possibly from an unknown galaxy or interstellar region. Such objects are known as Interstellar Comets — celestial bodies that travel between star systems.
According to NASA, this could be the third known interstellar object to visit our solar system, after ‘Oumuamua (2017) and Borisov (2019).
The study of this comet could help scientists understand several key questions:
· How celestial objects travel from one galaxy to another.
· How water — and possibly life — might have first appeared on early Earth.
In short, Comet ATLAS has become a fascinating cosmic mystery, offering scientists a rare opportunity to explore the hidden chemistry and behaviour of interstellar visitors in our solar system.
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