TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Scientists have discovered that comet 3I/ATLAS is spewing water into space in volumes sufficient to fill 70 Olympic-sized swimming pools every day. This finding offers researchers the chance to analyze the elemental building blocks present during the formation of planets orbiting other stars, some potentially far older than the Sun.
As reported by Space, the discovery was made by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) mission, currently en route to Jupiter and its icy moons. In November 2025, Juice observed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, the third known object to traverse our solar system from beyond its borders, utilizing the Moons and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer (MAJIS) and the Jovis, Amorum ac Natorum Undique Scrutator (JANUS) instruments.
Much like native solar system comets, 3I/ATLAS began shedding material as it approached the sun. Solar radiation heated its frozen core, triggering sublimation, a process where solid ice rapidly transforms into gas. This explosive release of gas forms the characteristic coma and tail of a comet, typically accompanied by a surge in brightness; however, 3I/ATLAS grew significantly more luminous than anticipated.
During the observation period, MAJIS identified infrared emissions from water vapor and carbon dioxide molecules. These substances are categorized as "volatiles" due to the ease with which they evaporate.
"Repeated detections of water vapor and carbon dioxide by MAJIS indicate that volatile ices buried beneath the surface were actively released into space shortly after perihelion passage," team member Giuseppe Piccioni from the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) noted in a statement.
"From the data collected, we estimated an outflow from the comet's nucleus of about two tons per second, equivalent to approximately 70 Olympic swimming pools of water vapor ejected into space every day," Piccioni explained.
"The MAJIS data will allow us to better understand the activity of this comet after perihelion and the physical and chemical properties of the materials formed around another star billions of years ago," he added.
The observation of 3I/ATLAS by Juice was an exceptional feat, as it was not part of the original mission plan. The team only considered the possibility after the comet's discovery on July 1, 2025. The task proved challenging due to the narrow window Juice had to detect the object and the inherent dimness of the interstellar visitor’s emissions.
This observation was followed by a protracted wait, with the new data finally reaching Earth in February 2026. "We waited a long time, but it was truly worth it," said team member Pasquale Palumbo, a researcher at INAF and the lead investigator for JANUS. "It is extraordinary."
The captured images revealed, for the first time, intense cometary activity occurring precisely around perihelion. 3I/ATLAS displayed an elongated coma and tail, along with various morphological features such as rays, jets, and filaments.
"We are very pleased with the performance JANUS has provided us; it is an excellent preview of what it will be able to do when it operates around Jupiter and its icy moons, the final destination of the JUICE mission," Piccioni said.
Read: Lyrids Meteor Shower to Light Up Singapore Skies for 10 Nights This April
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
