New Comet Could Be 7B Years Old and Contain $455T of Nickel
a day ago
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- #comet
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- Astronomers are observing a new comet, 3I/ATLAS, which is the third interstellar object detected in our Solar System.
- The comet is estimated to weigh 33 billion tons and contains a high quantity of nickel, potentially worth $455 trillion at current market prices.
- Despite its high nickel content, the comet is primarily composed of volatile ices like water, carbon dioxide, and ammonia, making it scientifically valuable but impractical for mining.
- The comet's light spectrum suggests a high nickel-to-iron ratio, offering clues about its origin and the processes involved in star death.
- 3I/ATLAS is believed to be around 7 billion years old, much older than our Solar System, and its composition provides insights into the early universe.
- The comet will make its closest approach to the sun on October 29 but will only be visible from equatorial regions of Earth.
- Astronomers are more interested in the scientific value of 3I/ATLAS than its monetary worth, as it offers a unique opportunity to study interstellar objects.