7 misconceptions and myths about 3I/ATLAS
Let’s bust some surprising myths about 3I/ATLAS! It’s not what many believe. Behind the mystery hides truth that will change how you think about this visitor from deep space.
1. It Is Alien Technology
3I/ATLAS is sometimes thought to be an alien spacecraft due to its unusual trajectory. However, scientific observations confirm it is a natural comet made of ice, dust, and gases, just like other comets but from outside our solar system.
2. It Poses a Threat to Earth
Rumours claim 3I/ATLAS might hit Earth or cause disasters. Space agencies like NASA and ESA assure that it will pass safely at about 1.8 astronomical units, much farther than Mars, posing no danger at all.
3. Its Size Is Huge
Some reports exaggerate the comet’s size, claiming it is several miles wide. Data from telescopes suggest 3I/ATLAS’s nucleus is less than 1 kilometre across, making it typical in size among comets, not unusually large.
4. It Doesn’t Show Comet Activity
There is a myth that 3I/ATLAS behaves unlike normal comets and doesn’t release gas or dust. In truth, it has an active coma formed by gas and dust escaping as the Sun heats its icy nucleus, just like other comets.
It Drops Alien Devices Near Planets
A false idea is that 3I/ATLAS leaves behind alien gadgets near planets like Mars or Jupiter. All observations show only natural cometary material - gas, dust, and ice - not any technological objects.
It Is Coming Back Again
Some believe the comet will return to our solar system regularly. 3I/ATLAS is on a hyperbolic path, which means it is visiting once and will leave back into interstellar space, never to return.
It Can Cause Global Catastrophe
Many fear it could cause doomsday events. In reality, the comet is a safe visitor that offers scientists a rare chance to study material from another star system and learn more about the universe’s origins.
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