ESO @eso.org · Jul 6 By measuring specific chemical fingerprints they found that 3I/ATLAS likely originated in the outskirts of an old star system. VLT time-lapse of 3I/ATLAS 👇 📹 ESO/O. Hainaut 🔭 🧪 2/4
4 likes 1 replies
?
Replies
Specifically, they measured ratios of carbon & nitrogen isotopes in cyanide molecules in the gas around the comet — indicators of a comet’s origin, as they are sensitive to the physical conditions in the formation environment and do not change much as the comet travels on through space. 🔭 🧪 3/4