The cosmos has once again prepared a surprise for us, and this time its source is advanced scientific missions. Comet 3I/ATLAS, which has already attracted attention with its unusual behavior and rich chemical composition, has become the center of attention due to an even more intriguing discovery. It turns out that Chinese scientists, just like their American colleagues, sent a special probe to this celestial wanderer. The goal was one – to study this unique object, which scientists encounter for the first time, in as much detail as possible.
The 3I/ATLAS comet is not only a mesmerizing sight. Its solid icy core is surrounded by a coma – a vast cloud of gas and icy dust. This cloud forms because large dust grains with a radius of several micrometers erupt from the nucleus. The coma contains not only water ice and vapor but also substances such as carbon monoxide and carbonyl sulfide. All this makes 3I/ATLAS a valuable object for studying the early stages of the formation of the Solar System. That's how it is, but something unusual comes to light here.
As it turned out, a true sensation awaited Chinese scientists. During the research using the probe, they were astonished by what they saw. Compared to the data obtained by the American probe, the Chinese one discovered a truly fantastic fact: the 3I/ATLAS comet is not flying alone!
Initial observations could be misleading. It seemed that the comet was moving along its trajectory without causing anything unusual, but suddenly it sharply changed course, turning to the right. Such a sudden and uncharacteristic trajectory change for comets became the first signal of alarming attention. And here, thanks to the probe, scientists were able to see what was hidden behind the cloud of dust and gas: another object was flying alongside 3I/ATLAS.
Moreover, these two celestial bodies moved synchronously, as if forming a single entity. Only the sharp maneuver of the comet revealed that this is not one object, but a pair. Such a phenomenon – two comets flying together and demonstrating synchronous movement – happens for the first time.
Scientists found themselves puzzled. They could not explain what they saw within the framework of conventional ideas about comets. It was suggested that they were looking at not just two comets, but two objects of unknown origin. Their synchronous motion and sudden maneuver gave rise to the boldest hypotheses: perhaps this is some kind of cosmic contest, a sort of "space race" between the two objects. Or it might be a "cosmic chase," where one object is pursuing the other.
One can say with confidence: thanks to their probe, Chinese scientists have confirmed that the 3I/ATLAS comet is something much more than just another celestial body. This mystery requires further study and possibly a reassessment of our ideas about cosmic phenomena. What lies behind this mysterious duo? Answers to these questions could radically change our understanding of the Universe, and right now Chinese scientists are engaged in a detailed study of all the obtained images.
