Astronomers Find Comet 3I/ATLAS May Be Alien Technology

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts — A comet named 3I/ATLAS is larger than scientists initially thought, weighing more than 33 billion tons and spanning at least 3.1 miles across. Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb claims it could even be an alien artifact rather than a natural object.

Discovered earlier this month, 3I/ATLAS is the third known interstellar visitor, following Oumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019. Loeb pointed out that this latest comet is shedding significant amounts of carbon dioxide and dust as it races toward the Sun.

Using a new data analysis, Loeb and his team noticed a slight “non-gravitational acceleration” in the comet’s movement caused by “outgassing.” This discovery suggests that the comet’s nucleus is much heavier than earlier models indicated.

As 3I/ATLAS moves through the solar system at about 137,000 mph, it recently encountered a massive solar eruption, a coronal mass ejection, which scientists are currently monitoring for potential changes in its trajectory.

Loeb stated, “Is 3I/ATLAS an unusually massive comet with an unusual chemical composition or alien technology?” He emphasized that researchers should not judge the nature of 3I/ATLAS solely based on its surface materials.

Next week, the comet will approach Earth, passing within 1.67 million miles while also coming close to both Jupiter and Venus. Loeb has urged scientists to use NASA‘s HiRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to gather more accurate measurements of the object.

While some researchers, including those at NASA, refute the idea that 3I/ATLAS is alien technology, they are still focused on understanding its origins. The scientific community is eagerly tracking the comet’s journey, which could reveal more about its mysteries as it gets closer to Mars.