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Methane on Interstellar Comet
June 6 , 2026
15 hrs 0 min
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- The James Webb Space Telescope detected methane on the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, marking the first direct detection of methane on an object originating outside the Solar System.
- The discovery was made using the telescope’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI).
- Scientists found that methane became detectable after the comet passed close to the Sun, suggesting it was trapped beneath the surface and released by solar heating.
- The comet contains unusually high amounts of methane and carbon dioxide compared with most comets in the Solar System.
- These chemical characteristics indicate that 3I/ATLAS formed in an environment different from that of most Solar System comets.
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