An interstellar object the size of Manhattan is baffling scientists after new observations revealed that it’s emitting a metallic compound never before detected in nature. According to New York Post, Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb says the object, named 3I/ATLAS, appears to be releasing nickel tetracarbonyl — a chemical compound known only to exist in industrial production on Earth.
The finding came from high-resolution spectroscopic data collected by the Keck Observatory in Hawaii. Researchers detected that 3I/ATLAS emits roughly four grams of nickel per second, but almost no iron — an imbalance that defies standard cometary behavior. Typical comets release both metals in roughly equal amounts as they approach the Sun. This chemical irregularity, combined with the absence of a traditional tail, has led Loeb to propose that 3I/ATLAS might not be a natural object at all.
Adding to the mystery, the object is ejecting material toward the Sun, not away from it. Normally, solar radiation pushes gases and dust into a tail pointing outward from the Sun. In this case, however, 3I/ATLAS is producing what Loeb describes as a “sunward jet,” something scientists can’t yet explain using known physics. The discovery echoes earlier interstellar anomalies like ‘Oumuamua, which also displayed unconventional movement and composition when it passed through the Solar System in 2017.
Nickel tetracarbonyl is especially notable because it’s toxic and unstable under normal space conditions. On Earth, it’s primarily used in manufacturing processes for refining and coating metals. Loeb argues that if the readings are correct, the compound’s presence could imply an artificial or industrial origin. He called the material “a signature we’ve never seen coming from a natural body in space.”
Not all experts agree with his assessment, though. Other astronomers suggest the peculiar emissions could be explained by an unusual mixture of frozen gases and metals reacting under solar radiation in ways that haven’t been observed before. NASA scientists have urged caution, reminding the public that “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”
3I/ATLAS will reach its closest approach to the Sun on October 29, though Earth’s position will limit direct observation. Researchers are racing to collect more data before it disappears back into deep space. Whether it turns out to be a natural wonder or something far stranger, 3I/ATLAS is quickly becoming one of the most intriguing mysteries in modern astronomy.