Scientists reveal ‘dramatically different’ discovery about first interstellar comet ‘Oumuamua

A strangely-shaped rocky object that journeyed into our solar system last year is emitting an unexpected amount of carbon monoxide, according to a team of experts – up to 26 times higher than that of the average comet.

Scientists turned the hugely powerful Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) onto the first known interstellar visitor dubbed ‘Oumuamua (the Hawaiian word for messenger) in mid-December 2019, shortly after it was first spotted, in order to closely study its composition and properties.

“This is the first time we’ve ever looked inside a comet from outside our solar system,” said astrochemist and study author Martin Cordiner, “and it is dramatically different from most other comets we’ve seen before.”

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