Comet 3I/ATLAS comes from a strange alien system that appeared long before the sun was born

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS becomes the third confirmed interstellar object recorded by astronomers, following 1I/Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. 3I/ATLAS’s unusually bright and unique chemistry gives researchers a rare glimpse into the formation of planets and icy bodies around distant stars. According to scientists, the comet may be twice as old as the solar system, which is 4.6 billion years old. Image source: International Gemini Observatory