The Digital Press

Astronomers have traced the origin of the third known interstellar object, comet 3I/ATLAS, finding it came from the Milky Way's thick disk, a much older region than our Sun's neighborhood. This discovery reveals new diversity in the sources of interstellar visitors to our Solar System.

Why it matters: 3I/ATLAS is the first interstellar object identified from the Milky Way’s thick disk, expanding our understanding of galactic origins.

The big picture: The thick disk contains ancient stars over 10 billion years old, indicating 3I/ATLAS is significantly older than the Solar System.

Stunning stat: 3I/ATLAS travels at 57 km/s and is estimated to be 7.6 to 14 billion years old, older than the 4.6-billion-year-old Sun.

Commenters say: Many appreciate the novel insight into galactic populations, while some discuss challenges in tracing precise origins and implications for planetary formation.