Quick Summary
A recent study on the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS has shed new light on its composition and behavior. The object, which is believed to be a comet, has a small nucleus surrounded by a large cloud of dust. Unlike typical comets, 3I/ATLAS has a diffuse emission ahead of its motion towards the Sun, rather than a trailing tail. The study suggests that this unusual behavior may be due to the object’s slow rotation period, which allows the dayside of the nucleus to maintain a hot temperature and evaporate dust. The existence of a glow ahead of 3I/ATLAS without evidence of gas molecules is puzzling, and upcoming data from the Webb telescope may help unravel its detailed nature.
Hubble Space Telescope Shows a Diffuse Glow Ahead of 3I/ATLAS | by Avi Loeb | Aug, 2025
