Images of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS snapped during the September 7 total lunar eclipse seem to suggest that the latest visitor to the Solar System may be turning green.

That's not all that strange for a comet. Many Solar System comets give off a green glow when they heat up enough to emit vapor. However, for 3I/ATLAS, it might be quite strange: observations of the comet's chemistry obtained to date show very few signs of the dicarbon (C 2 ) molecules usually responsible for a comet's green glow.

This could mean that the C 2 is there, but yet to be detected. Or there could be another molecule responsible for making the comet appear green. Either way, the implication is that the chemistry of 3I/ATLAS still has some secrets it is yet to divulge.

Related: Images Show Interstellar

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