“The fundamental question is whether 3I/ATLAS is a ‘Trojan Horse,’ which looks like a natural comet but carries a potential threat within it,” explained Harvard University astrophysicist Avi Loeb.
Scenarios of explanation and conspiracy theories have intensified around the mysterious interstellar object 3I/ATLAS which arrived from the constellation Sagittarius and is passing through our Solar System, becoming a puzzle for scientists as it moves in a way that is utterly unlike an ordinary comet, such as its latest manoeuvre that left the scientific community speechless. This manoeuvre bore no resemblance to a comet's usual trajectory, overturning everything we know about comet movement and, naturally, all conjecture about its "identity"! All the world's major telescopes have focused on observing the interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS, which is… theoretically a comet – however, data from the James Webb Space Telescope and the Very Large Telescope in Chile indicate that we are dealing with something that escapes every known model. According to the latest observation...
The interstellar object 3I/ATLAS chose an unusual trajectory to perform the Oberth manoeuvre, Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb reported on his blog, just last Saturday, when he correctly predicted that the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS could execute an Oberth gravity-assist manoeuvre in the coming days, but not in the way it was executed. “Unfortunately, we cannot observe 3I/ATLAS from Earth at this moment, which raises the question: was its trajectory precisely calculated by alien intelligence?” he wrote. According to the scientist, the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS has already passed halfway through its journey through the Solar System, but its new trajectory raises questions about the object’s extraterrestrial origin.
“The fundamental question is whether 3I/ATLAS is a ‘Trojan Horse,’ which looks like a natural comet but carries a potential threat within it,” Loeb explained.
According to the scientist's calculations, on December 19, 2025, the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS will reach its closest distance to Earth, 267 million kilometres, following a purely gravitational orbit, which may clarify the matter. “Will 3I/ATLAS send mini-probes to Earth as Christmas presents to humanity?” Loeb jokingly asked. The interstellar object 3I/ATLAS was discovered on July 1.
Comet or... artificial object with a powerful energy source capable of producing light visible from millions of kilometres away?
Scientists later determined it was a comet from another solar system. Its coma (the cloud of gas and dust surrounding its nucleus) has a diameter of about 24 kilometres. A computational model estimated its age at over seven and a half billion years – three billion years older than the Sun. It may be the oldest comet ever observed.
Change in appearance
1. It changed colour
In September, Avi Loeb reported that the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, which was flying through the solar system, had undergone an "anomalous evolution," beginning to change colour. According to observations recorded by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Chile, 3I/ATLAS went from red to green within two weeks. Researchers discovered that the colour change is due to a sudden increase in the release of cyanide and nickel from 3I/ATLAS. These substances, along with the material ejected from the object, cause changes in the refraction of sunlight, making it appear green instead of red. Specifically, this change seems to be due to the creation of small icy particles, which modify the opacity of the cloud around the nucleus of 3I/ATLAS.
2. It is self-luminous!
In August, the scientist reported that 3I/ATLAS emitted its own light, a faint light similar to the glow of car headlights, and the fact that the source of the light had not been located, led him to argue that 3I/ATLAS might not be simply a natural comet, but an artificial object with a powerful energy source capable of producing light visible from millions of kilometres away. He suggested that 3I/ATLAS could be a construct of highly sophisticated technology, which is capable of producing light visible from millions of kilometres away.
3. 3I/ATLAS grew a tail…
Shortly after, new impressive images of 3I/ATLAS revealed that the comet's tail had already begun to form. The observations were made with the powerful Gemini South telescope of the NOIRLab observatory, according to ScienceAlert. The appearance of a tail indicates that the comet's ice has begun to vaporise as it approaches the Sun. 3I/ATLAS stands out from most known comets, as it showed activity long before it entered the inner region of the Solar System – already beyond Jupiter’s orbit. This particular characteristic is attributed to the high content of carbon dioxide, which sublimates at lower temperatures than water ice. Scientists estimate that by perihelion – its closest approach to the Sun, expected on October 29, 2025 – the tail of 3I/ATLAS will have grown and will shine much more intensely, as indeed happened. Then, a more detailed study of its chemical composition will also be possible, as the spectral data so far indicate an unusual chemistry.
4. It's evaporating
3I/ATLAS is evaporating: it ejects around 40 kilograms of frozen water per second – something unimaginable, as our own comets at such a distance "are sleeping."Webb showed that along with water, it emits huge amounts of carbon dioxide, in a shocking ratio: eight times more CO2 than H2O!That is, water is drops in a "sea" of gas.And that's not all...Large quantities of carbon monoxide and carbon disulfide were found – a mixture that resembles a… toxic bomb rather than a refreshing cocktail.The only terrestrial exception that resembles this ratio was comet C/2016R2, but even there the question arises: could it also have an alien origin?Researcher Martin Cordiner from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center hypothesises that 3I/ATLAS formed far from its star, in the so-called "snow line," where carbon dioxide cools into an ice form. Russian astronomer Leonid Elenin agrees: the object's chemistry is nothing like our comets, leaving open the question of whether all planetary systems are formed in the same way.
5. Pure nickel, without iron!
Astronomer Loeb discerned in the data of the interstellar object something even more worrisome: pure nickel, without iron!
In natural cosmology, this is forbidden: the two metals form together in supernova explosions.
The existence of nickel without iron, Loeb says, is the signature of industrial production, an indication of a nickel alloy – exactly as the casing of a spacecraft would have.
Furthermore, the object is losing material at a rate that resembles… a spacecraft burning its casing upon entering our solar system.
"I would be happy if 3I/ATLAS was simply a CO2-rich comet, because that would mean there is no threat from alien technology.
On the other hand, however, humanity needs a strong awakening to avoid its self-destruction," he wrote.
The third interstellar object
3I/ATLAS is only the third interstellar object detected in our Solar System, after the asteroid ‘Oumuamua and the comet Borisov. Its trajectory, however, does not threaten Earth: its closest passage will be within Mars' orbit, offering astronomers valuable time to study this mysterious visitor from the depths of the Galaxy. The colour change and the strange light emission may indicate something much greater than a simple comet.
“Prepare for contact with aliens”
Theoretical physicist Avi Loeb was one of the first scientists to warn about the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, which is not related to the solar system. Astronomers confirmed its interstellar origin due to its hyperbolic trajectory. According to reports, the object does not pose a threat to Earth and will pass at a distance of approximately 170 million miles from our planet. Loeb characterised the object as a possible hostile alien reconnaissance device, calling for the creation of an international organisation to deal with such issues. He emphasised the object's unusual characteristics, which is larger than usual and has a light source at the front. NASA will continue to monitor the object until December of this year. According to the organisation, its trajectory shows that it is not bound by the Sun's gravity and will continue to move through interstellar space.
NASA: Interstellar object 3I/Atlas is a simple comet and not an alien spacecraft
NASA scientists, however, refuted the theory of astronomer Loeb that 3I/Atlas could have been created by aliens and be threatening Earth. Loeb, who leads the Galileo Project, said that the object, observed by a telescope in Chile on July 1, moves in an unusual orbit and does not have the gas tail characteristic of comets. He argued that it could be a technological construct with "active intelligence," capable of manoeuvring behind the Sun and heading towards Earth with hostile intent. NASA, after studying the object with telescopes such as Hubble, maintains that it behaves like a normal comet, despite some peculiarities. Tom Statler, a NASA expert, noted that the object, 5.6 km wide, moves at a speed of 209,000 km/h and will not approach Earth closer than 270,000 km. According to him, it is a natural body and its behaviour is explained by heating from the Sun. Loeb admitted that the object is most likely a comet, but considers it important to study unusual hypotheses.
A “visitor” from the stars
Oleg Malkov, Head of Department at the Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, comments on the phenomenon and reveals why this object has made astronomers rethink what they know about interstellar bodies. 3I/Atlas is the third known object believed to originate from deep space. The letter "I" in its name stands for "Interstellar," while the "3" indicates that two others preceded it – the first was detected in 2017. As Malkov explains, "It's not that such bodies have never passed through our Solar System; we simply now have the means to detect them." Monitoring such bodies is based on comparing photographs of the same section of the sky at different times. When an object "moves" between the photos, scientists calculate its speed and trajectory. This is how new asteroids, comets — or in this case, interstellar "visitors" are discovered. Malkov stresses that the speed of 3I/Atlas is so great that the Sun cannot restrain it. The body will pass through the Solar System and continue its course into the interstellar void.
The theory of the invisible cloud
To understand the origin of such bodies, Malkov recalls the concept of the Oort Cloud — a vast, invisible cloud of icy bodies surrounding the Solar System, about a light-year away. Most comets originate from there. Interactions between these bodies or the gravitational influence of nearby stars can eject a comet towards the inner Solar System. Some comets, like Halley, are trapped in periodic orbits. Others approach the Sun very closely and disintegrate. Malkov explains that 3I/Atlas may be such an ejected comet, and not necessarily an interstellar visitor — its enormous speed may be due to gravitational interactions with nearby bodies in the invisible cloud.
Alien spacecraft or natural phenomenon?
Some scientists, including Harvard University Professor Loeb, proposed that 3I/Atlas might be an artificial object — even an alien spacecraft! Malkov responds calmly: "In science, we don't reject any hypothesis, but we apply Occam's principle: if something is explained simply, there's no need to invent complicated theories." The strangest element of 3I/Atlas is that it moves in the plane of the planets, something unusual for comets. However, such examples exist — such as comet Churyumov–Gerasimenko, which was visited by the ESA's Rosetta mission.
Is there a threat to Earth?
Malkov is reassuring: "No, there is no chance of a collision. 3I/Atlas will pass close to Mars, but at a safe distance." Even if a large body — such as a rogue planet or a neutron star — approached the Solar System, the chances of it affecting Earth are infinitesimal. The distances between the stars are enormous, Malkov says, and such events are extremely rare. Solar defence, such as the solar wind, cannot deflect the trajectory of stars or planets, but the very nature of our Galaxy — with its great distances — offers the best protection.
3I/ATLAS: One of the greatest mysteries in modern astronomy
The research on 3I/ATLAS has just begun, and many of the questions remain unanswered. The possibility that the object is of extraterrestrial origin or constitutes an artificial construct sparks discussions and theories that transcend the boundaries of traditional astronomy. Whether it is a comet with extreme chemical particularity, or an alien spacecraft, or some other creation that is pretending to be a comet and resembles... a planet, the essence is one: we are faced with something we do not understand. And this may be the hottest scientific question of the 21st century.
www.bankingnews.gr
The interstellar object 3I/ATLAS chose an unusual trajectory to perform the Oberth manoeuvre, Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb reported on his blog, just last Saturday, when he correctly predicted that the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS could execute an Oberth gravity-assist manoeuvre in the coming days, but not in the way it was executed. “Unfortunately, we cannot observe 3I/ATLAS from Earth at this moment, which raises the question: was its trajectory precisely calculated by alien intelligence?” he wrote. According to the scientist, the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS has already passed halfway through its journey through the Solar System, but its new trajectory raises questions about the object’s extraterrestrial origin.
“The fundamental question is whether 3I/ATLAS is a ‘Trojan Horse,’ which looks like a natural comet but carries a potential threat within it,” Loeb explained.
According to the scientist's calculations, on December 19, 2025, the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS will reach its closest distance to Earth, 267 million kilometres, following a purely gravitational orbit, which may clarify the matter. “Will 3I/ATLAS send mini-probes to Earth as Christmas presents to humanity?” Loeb jokingly asked. The interstellar object 3I/ATLAS was discovered on July 1.
Comet or... artificial object with a powerful energy source capable of producing light visible from millions of kilometres away?
Scientists later determined it was a comet from another solar system. Its coma (the cloud of gas and dust surrounding its nucleus) has a diameter of about 24 kilometres. A computational model estimated its age at over seven and a half billion years – three billion years older than the Sun. It may be the oldest comet ever observed.
Change in appearance
1. It changed colour
In September, Avi Loeb reported that the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, which was flying through the solar system, had undergone an "anomalous evolution," beginning to change colour. According to observations recorded by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Chile, 3I/ATLAS went from red to green within two weeks. Researchers discovered that the colour change is due to a sudden increase in the release of cyanide and nickel from 3I/ATLAS. These substances, along with the material ejected from the object, cause changes in the refraction of sunlight, making it appear green instead of red. Specifically, this change seems to be due to the creation of small icy particles, which modify the opacity of the cloud around the nucleus of 3I/ATLAS.
2. It is self-luminous!
In August, the scientist reported that 3I/ATLAS emitted its own light, a faint light similar to the glow of car headlights, and the fact that the source of the light had not been located, led him to argue that 3I/ATLAS might not be simply a natural comet, but an artificial object with a powerful energy source capable of producing light visible from millions of kilometres away. He suggested that 3I/ATLAS could be a construct of highly sophisticated technology, which is capable of producing light visible from millions of kilometres away.
3. 3I/ATLAS grew a tail…
Shortly after, new impressive images of 3I/ATLAS revealed that the comet's tail had already begun to form. The observations were made with the powerful Gemini South telescope of the NOIRLab observatory, according to ScienceAlert. The appearance of a tail indicates that the comet's ice has begun to vaporise as it approaches the Sun. 3I/ATLAS stands out from most known comets, as it showed activity long before it entered the inner region of the Solar System – already beyond Jupiter’s orbit. This particular characteristic is attributed to the high content of carbon dioxide, which sublimates at lower temperatures than water ice. Scientists estimate that by perihelion – its closest approach to the Sun, expected on October 29, 2025 – the tail of 3I/ATLAS will have grown and will shine much more intensely, as indeed happened. Then, a more detailed study of its chemical composition will also be possible, as the spectral data so far indicate an unusual chemistry.
4. It's evaporating
3I/ATLAS is evaporating: it ejects around 40 kilograms of frozen water per second – something unimaginable, as our own comets at such a distance "are sleeping."Webb showed that along with water, it emits huge amounts of carbon dioxide, in a shocking ratio: eight times more CO2 than H2O!That is, water is drops in a "sea" of gas.And that's not all...Large quantities of carbon monoxide and carbon disulfide were found – a mixture that resembles a… toxic bomb rather than a refreshing cocktail.The only terrestrial exception that resembles this ratio was comet C/2016R2, but even there the question arises: could it also have an alien origin?Researcher Martin Cordiner from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center hypothesises that 3I/ATLAS formed far from its star, in the so-called "snow line," where carbon dioxide cools into an ice form. Russian astronomer Leonid Elenin agrees: the object's chemistry is nothing like our comets, leaving open the question of whether all planetary systems are formed in the same way.
5. Pure nickel, without iron!
Astronomer Loeb discerned in the data of the interstellar object something even more worrisome: pure nickel, without iron!
In natural cosmology, this is forbidden: the two metals form together in supernova explosions.
The existence of nickel without iron, Loeb says, is the signature of industrial production, an indication of a nickel alloy – exactly as the casing of a spacecraft would have.
Furthermore, the object is losing material at a rate that resembles… a spacecraft burning its casing upon entering our solar system.
"I would be happy if 3I/ATLAS was simply a CO2-rich comet, because that would mean there is no threat from alien technology.
On the other hand, however, humanity needs a strong awakening to avoid its self-destruction," he wrote.
The third interstellar object
3I/ATLAS is only the third interstellar object detected in our Solar System, after the asteroid ‘Oumuamua and the comet Borisov. Its trajectory, however, does not threaten Earth: its closest passage will be within Mars' orbit, offering astronomers valuable time to study this mysterious visitor from the depths of the Galaxy. The colour change and the strange light emission may indicate something much greater than a simple comet.
“Prepare for contact with aliens”
Theoretical physicist Avi Loeb was one of the first scientists to warn about the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, which is not related to the solar system. Astronomers confirmed its interstellar origin due to its hyperbolic trajectory. According to reports, the object does not pose a threat to Earth and will pass at a distance of approximately 170 million miles from our planet. Loeb characterised the object as a possible hostile alien reconnaissance device, calling for the creation of an international organisation to deal with such issues. He emphasised the object's unusual characteristics, which is larger than usual and has a light source at the front. NASA will continue to monitor the object until December of this year. According to the organisation, its trajectory shows that it is not bound by the Sun's gravity and will continue to move through interstellar space.
NASA: Interstellar object 3I/Atlas is a simple comet and not an alien spacecraft
NASA scientists, however, refuted the theory of astronomer Loeb that 3I/Atlas could have been created by aliens and be threatening Earth. Loeb, who leads the Galileo Project, said that the object, observed by a telescope in Chile on July 1, moves in an unusual orbit and does not have the gas tail characteristic of comets. He argued that it could be a technological construct with "active intelligence," capable of manoeuvring behind the Sun and heading towards Earth with hostile intent. NASA, after studying the object with telescopes such as Hubble, maintains that it behaves like a normal comet, despite some peculiarities. Tom Statler, a NASA expert, noted that the object, 5.6 km wide, moves at a speed of 209,000 km/h and will not approach Earth closer than 270,000 km. According to him, it is a natural body and its behaviour is explained by heating from the Sun. Loeb admitted that the object is most likely a comet, but considers it important to study unusual hypotheses.
A “visitor” from the stars
Oleg Malkov, Head of Department at the Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, comments on the phenomenon and reveals why this object has made astronomers rethink what they know about interstellar bodies. 3I/Atlas is the third known object believed to originate from deep space. The letter "I" in its name stands for "Interstellar," while the "3" indicates that two others preceded it – the first was detected in 2017. As Malkov explains, "It's not that such bodies have never passed through our Solar System; we simply now have the means to detect them." Monitoring such bodies is based on comparing photographs of the same section of the sky at different times. When an object "moves" between the photos, scientists calculate its speed and trajectory. This is how new asteroids, comets — or in this case, interstellar "visitors" are discovered. Malkov stresses that the speed of 3I/Atlas is so great that the Sun cannot restrain it. The body will pass through the Solar System and continue its course into the interstellar void.
The theory of the invisible cloud
To understand the origin of such bodies, Malkov recalls the concept of the Oort Cloud — a vast, invisible cloud of icy bodies surrounding the Solar System, about a light-year away. Most comets originate from there. Interactions between these bodies or the gravitational influence of nearby stars can eject a comet towards the inner Solar System. Some comets, like Halley, are trapped in periodic orbits. Others approach the Sun very closely and disintegrate. Malkov explains that 3I/Atlas may be such an ejected comet, and not necessarily an interstellar visitor — its enormous speed may be due to gravitational interactions with nearby bodies in the invisible cloud.
Alien spacecraft or natural phenomenon?
Some scientists, including Harvard University Professor Loeb, proposed that 3I/Atlas might be an artificial object — even an alien spacecraft! Malkov responds calmly: "In science, we don't reject any hypothesis, but we apply Occam's principle: if something is explained simply, there's no need to invent complicated theories." The strangest element of 3I/Atlas is that it moves in the plane of the planets, something unusual for comets. However, such examples exist — such as comet Churyumov–Gerasimenko, which was visited by the ESA's Rosetta mission.
Is there a threat to Earth?
Malkov is reassuring: "No, there is no chance of a collision. 3I/Atlas will pass close to Mars, but at a safe distance." Even if a large body — such as a rogue planet or a neutron star — approached the Solar System, the chances of it affecting Earth are infinitesimal. The distances between the stars are enormous, Malkov says, and such events are extremely rare. Solar defence, such as the solar wind, cannot deflect the trajectory of stars or planets, but the very nature of our Galaxy — with its great distances — offers the best protection.
3I/ATLAS: One of the greatest mysteries in modern astronomy
The research on 3I/ATLAS has just begun, and many of the questions remain unanswered. The possibility that the object is of extraterrestrial origin or constitutes an artificial construct sparks discussions and theories that transcend the boundaries of traditional astronomy. Whether it is a comet with extreme chemical particularity, or an alien spacecraft, or some other creation that is pretending to be a comet and resembles... a planet, the essence is one: we are faced with something we do not understand. And this may be the hottest scientific question of the 21st century.
www.bankingnews.gr
Σχόλια αναγνωστών