3I/ATLAS update today: The comet has undergone several changes near the Sun. Several astronomers and a comet hunter observed it and saw it changing acceleration and its colour. Here is what we know about its encounter with the Sun.

3I/ATLAS update today: The comet has undergone several changes near the Sun. Several astronomers and a comet hunter observed it and saw it changing acceleration and its colour. Here is what we know about its encounter with the Sun.

3I/ATLAS turns blue and bright: Could a 'hot engine' or 'artificial light' be the source?

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS made a non-gravitational manoeuvre as it went behind the Sun, according to a NASA engineer. Harvard scientists Avi Loeb stated in his blog that Davide Farnoccia, a navigation engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, filed the first evidence of the object making mysterious moves. The data states that 3I/ATLAS made a radial acceleration away from the Sun by 135 kilometres per day squared. There was also a transverse acceleration relative to the Sun’s direction of 60 kilometres per day squared, Loeb wrote. This is a jolting revelation since comets do not suddenly move away in this fashion. This non-gravitational acceleration was measured at the perihelion distance of 1.36 times the Earth-Sun separation.<h2>3I/ATLAS has changed colour</h2> The non-gravitational acceleration was not the only thing that was observed as 3I/ATLAS hid in the Sun's glare. The comet also changed colour. It turned a bright blue instead of the usual red. Loeb claims that the non-gravitational acceleration and the change in its colour are related. "The non-gravitational acceleration might be the technological signature of an internal engine," he wrote. "This might also explain the report on 3I/ATLAS getting bluer than the Sun This might also explain the report on 3I/ATLAS getting bluer than the Sun." Ideally, the dust around a comet should turn the scattered sunlight red. Loeb has called this the ninth anomaly that the interstellar object has displayed.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-did-something-strange-that-could-reveal-clues-about-alien-life-1761801748454">3I/ATLAS did something strange that could reveal clues about alien life</a> &nbsp;<h2>3I/ATLAS also became extremely bright</h2> Some observations made by spacecraft have revealed that it became extremely bright as it swung behind the Sun. On October 28, two researchers posted a study to the preprint server arXiv saying that 3I/ATLAS rapidly brightened ahead of perihelion. According to them, the comet will have brightened to roughly magnitude 9 at perihelion. Amateur astronomer and comet hunter Worachate Boonplod spotted the comet in images from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's GOES-19 weather satellite. He noted in the Comets Mailing List group that the brightness of 3I/ATLAS was comparable to nearby stars with a magnitude ~11. "The comet is moving from left to right (relative to both the field and background stars) and should go out of the CCOR-1 field on October 24."&nbsp;https://www.wionews.com/videos/mysterious-interstellar-object-racing-through-our-solar-system-1760724494736/embed&nbsp;Loeb further says that the picture on 3I/ATLAS would become clearer once it becomes visible again. "Over the month it takes 3I/ATLAS to cross a spatial scale of order its perihelion separation from the Sun, 3I/ATLAS would lose about a tenth of its mass," he wrote. "Such a massive mass loss should be detectable in the form of a large plume of gas surrounding 3I/ATLAS during the upcoming months of November and December 2025." Scientists will be waiting for it once it re-emerges, especially when it reaches its nearest point to Earth on December 19.&nbsp;

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS made a move that hints at the presence of a technological entity. It also became blue and extremely bright right before it reached perihelion. A scientist says the non-gravitational acceleration could mean that an internal engine is driving 3I/ATLAS. 

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS made a non-gravitational manoeuvre as it went behind the Sun, according to a NASA engineer. Harvard scientists Avi Loeb stated in his blog that Davide Farnoccia, a navigation engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, filed the first evidence of the object making mysterious moves. The data states that 3I/ATLAS made a radial acceleration away from the Sun by 135 kilometres per day squared. There was also a transverse acceleration relative to the Sun’s direction of 60 kilometres per day squared, Loeb wrote. This is a jolting revelation since comets do not suddenly move away in this fashion. This non-gravitational acceleration was measured at the perihelion distance of 1.36 times the Earth-Sun separation. 3I/ATLAS has changed colour The non-gravitational acceleration was not the only thing that was observed as 3I/ATLAS hid in the Sun's glare. The comet also changed colour. It turned a bright blue instead of the usual red. Loeb claims that the non-gravitational acceleration and the change in its colour are related. "The non-gravitational acceleration might be the technological signature of an internal engine," he wrote. "This might also explain the report on 3I/ATLAS getting bluer than the Sun This might also explain the report on 3I/ATLAS getting bluer than the Sun." Ideally, the dust around a comet should turn the scattered sunlight red. Loeb has called this the ninth anomaly that the interstellar object has displayed. Also Read: 3I/ATLAS did something strange that could reveal clues about alien life 3I/ATLAS also became extremely bright Some observations made by spacecraft have revealed that it became extremely bright as it swung behind the Sun. On October 28, two researchers posted a study to the preprint server arXiv saying that 3I/ATLAS rapidly brightened ahead of perihelion. According to them, the comet will have brightened to roughly magnitude 9 at perihelion. Amateur astronomer and comet hunter Worachate Boonplod spotted the comet in images from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's GOES-19 weather satellite. He noted in the Comets Mailing List group that the brightness of 3I/ATLAS was comparable to nearby stars with a magnitude ~11. "The comet is moving from left to right (relative to both the field and background stars) and should go out of the CCOR-1 field on October 24." https://www.wionews.com/videos/mysterious-interstellar-object-racing-through-our-solar-system-1760724494736/embed Loeb further says that the picture on 3I/ATLAS would become clearer once it becomes visible again. "Over the month it takes 3I/ATLAS to cross a spatial scale of order its perihelion separation from the Sun, 3I/ATLAS would lose about a tenth of its mass," he wrote. "Such a massive mass loss should be detectable in the form of a large plume of gas surrounding 3I/ATLAS during the upcoming months of November and December 2025." Scientists will be waiting for it once it re-emerges, especially when it reaches its nearest point to Earth on December 19.

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS made a move that could be a clue about what is driving this mysterious cosmic body. It also became blue and extremely bright right before it reached perihelion. A scientist says the non-gravitational acceleration could mean that an internal engine is driving 3I/ATLAS.&nbsp;

3I/ATLAS did the unthinkable near Sun, with a mysterious move - 'A sign of tech...'

Could comet 3I/ATLAS carry traces of life from another star? Scientists are exploring whether microbes could survive inside its icy layers as it travels through space. While there’s no proof yet, 3I/ATLAS may hold clues to how life spreads between worlds.

Could comet 3I/ATLAS carry traces of life from another star? Scientists are exploring whether microbes could survive inside its icy layers as it travels through space. While there’s no proof yet, 3I/ATLAS may hold clues to how life spreads between worlds.

Can alien 3I/ATLAS carry microscopic life frozen from another star system?

Scientists are using powerful AI-based models to simulate the future path of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. AI models simulate 3I/ATLAS’s path from near the Sun to deep space. Real-time data keeps predictions sharp, ensuring safe monitoring and helping with future space object tracking. 

Scientists are using powerful AI-based models to simulate the future path of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. AI models simulate 3I/ATLAS’s path from near the Sun to deep space. Real-time data keeps predictions sharp, ensuring safe monitoring and helping with future object tracking.&nbsp;

Scientists to simulate 3I/ATLAS’s future route using AI-based orbit models

AI-powered telescopes are now helping scientists track 3I/ATLAS with great detail and speed. These tools improve space safety and expand our knowledge of interstellar visitors. Know more below.

AI-powered telescopes are now helping scientists track 3I/ATLAS with great detail and speed. These tools improve space safety and expand our knowledge of interstellar visitors. Know more below.

How AI-powered telescopes are revolutionising 3I/ATLAS tracking

Where is interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS now? Will it be visible again? Can we see 3I/ATLAS with the naked eye? The alien comet has reached solar conjunction and will soon be at perihelion. What is the difference between the two?

Where is interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS now? Will it be visible again? Can we see 3I/ATLAS with the naked eye? The alien comet has reached solar conjunction and will soon be at perihelion. What is the difference between the two?

Solar conjunction or perihelion, where is 3I/ATLAS at the moment?

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS carried a distinct signature that reveals the likelihood of life being present on other star systems. Astronomers at Auburn University in Alabama pointed NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory at the comet and found something very strange. In a study, the researchers noted the detection of hydroxyl (OH) gas, a chemical fingerprint of water. This breakthrough discovery has major implications in the study of comets and other star systems, as this shows that the building blocks of life might not be unique to our solar system. Also, the comet was seen releasing this gas at a distance from the Sun where typically comets are silent. But 3I/ATLAS was shooting jets when it was nearly three times farther from the Sun than Earth. When comets come near the Sun, the water ice on a comet’s surface starts turning into a gas. The alien comet was recorded losing water at a rate of about 40 kg per second.&nbsp;The criteria for studying comets that originate in our solar system are also based on the water they release as they move towards the Sun. Seeing 3I/ATLAS acting in a similar way, albeit at a much farther distance, means that they could apply the same rules to this comet as well. This also offers a chance to study the chemistry of planetary systems beyond our Sun. The comet was spotted releasing water like a hose at such a distant place, and it wasn't possible for ground observatories to catch the signs. But Neil Gehrels is a space-based telescope and was able to spot a faint ultraviolet glow. It was a strong signal and meant that something unknown was going on. The simple reasoning would be that the heat from the sun was heating small icy grains released from the comet's nucleus, vaporising them.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/nasa-s-silence-on-3i-atlas-down-to-terrestrial-stupidity-not-proof-of-alien-intelligence-1759985526293">NASA's silence on 3I/Atlas down to 'terrestrial stupidity', not proof of 'alien intelligence' - Blame govt shutdown</a> Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/interstellar-comet-3i-atlas-latest-update-acid-test-sun-earth-1761620995309">3I/ATLAS undergoes acid test near Sun: 'If it picks up extra...'</a> &nbsp;<h2>3I/ATLAS could reveal if life exists in other systems</h2>The biggest takeaway from this discovery is that water could be sustaining life elsewhere in the universe as well. "When we detect water – or even its faint ultraviolet echo, OH – from an interstellar comet, we’re reading a note from another planetary system," Dennis Bodewits, professor of physics at Auburn, said. "It tells us that the ingredients for life’s chemistry are not unique to our own." 3I/ATLAS is a great chance to learn about the makeup of some other planetary system where water plays a key role.&nbsp;It also tells how diverse the cosmic neighbourhood is since the other two interstellar visitors - Oumuamua and Borisov - were starkly different. While the former was dry, Borisov was rich in carbon monoxide. Meanwhile, ATLAS was releasing water at a point where it shouldn't have. "Each one is rewriting what we thought we knew about how planets and comets form around stars."&nbsp;<h2>3I/ATLAS near the Sun</h2>Right now, 3I/ATLAS is hiding in the Sun's glare. It reached solar conjunction around October 21 and hit perihelion on October 29. It will be a few more days before it becomes visible again. Scientists are waiting for it to reemerge since this encounter would have changed it dramatically.&nbsp;

3I/ATLAS could reveal how and if life exists in other star systems. It was seen releasing a huge amount of water at a great distance from the Sun, signalling that water could be sustaining life elsewhere in the universe.

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS carried a distinct signature that reveals the likelihood of life being present on other star systems. Astronomers at Auburn University in Alabama pointed NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory at the comet and found something very strange. In a study, the researchers noted the detection of hydroxyl (OH) gas, a chemical fingerprint of water. This breakthrough discovery has major implications in the study of comets and other star systems, as this shows that the building blocks of life might not be unique to our solar system. Also, the comet was seen releasing this gas at a distance from the Sun where typically comets are silent. But 3I/ATLAS was shooting jets when it was nearly three times farther from the Sun than Earth. When comets come near the Sun, the water ice on a comet’s surface starts turning into a gas. The alien comet was recorded losing water at a rate of about 40 kg per second. The criteria for studying comets that originate in our solar system are also based on the water they release as they move towards the Sun. Seeing 3I/ATLAS acting in a similar way, albeit at a much farther distance, means that they could apply the same rules to this comet as well. This also offers a chance to study the chemistry of planetary systems beyond our Sun. The comet was spotted releasing water like a hose at such a distant place, and it wasn't possible for ground observatories to catch the signs. But Neil Gehrels is a space-based telescope and was able to spot a faint ultraviolet glow. It was a strong signal and meant that something unknown was going on. The simple reasoning would be that the heat from the sun was heating small icy grains released from the comet's nucleus, vaporising them. Also Read: NASA's silence on 3I/Atlas down to 'terrestrial stupidity', not proof of 'alien intelligence' - Blame govt shutdown Also Read: 3I/ATLAS undergoes acid test near Sun: 'If it picks up extra...' 3I/ATLAS could reveal if life exists in other systems The biggest takeaway from this discovery is that water could be sustaining life elsewhere in the universe as well. "When we detect water – or even its faint ultraviolet echo, OH – from an interstellar comet, we’re reading a note from another planetary system," Dennis Bodewits, professor of physics at Auburn, said. "It tells us that the ingredients for life’s chemistry are not unique to our own." 3I/ATLAS is a great chance to learn about the makeup of some other planetary system where water plays a key role. It also tells how diverse the cosmic neighbourhood is since the other two interstellar visitors - Oumuamua and Borisov - were starkly different. While the former was dry, Borisov was rich in carbon monoxide. Meanwhile, ATLAS was releasing water at a point where it shouldn't have. "Each one is rewriting what we thought we knew about how planets and comets form around stars." 3I/ATLAS near the Sun Right now, 3I/ATLAS is hiding in the Sun's glare. It reached solar conjunction around October 21 and hit perihelion on October 29. It will be a few more days before it becomes visible again. Scientists are waiting for it to reemerge since this encounter would have changed it dramatically.

3I/ATLAS could reveal how and if life exists in other star systems. It was seen releasing a huge amount of water at a great distance from the Sun, signalling that water could be sustaining life elsewhere in the universe.

3I/ATLAS did something strange that could reveal clues about alien life

Solar heating can cause 3I/ATLAS’s icy surface to evaporate, creating jets that slightly shift its speed and trajectory. Surprisingly, changes are small, hinting at a massive nucleus. Scientists track these to predict the comet’s path better.

Solar heating can cause 3I/ATLAS’s icy surface to evaporate, creating jets that slightly shift its speed and trajectory. Surprisingly, changes are small, hinting at a massive nucleus. Scientists track these to predict the comet’s path better.

How could 3I/ATLAS’s speed and trajectory shift after solar heating

The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has been closely watched by scientists because of its unusual spin and trajectory. 3I/ATLAS’s unique spin and hyperbolic path help scientists understand how interstellar comets behave. Its motion reveals clues about comet activity and forces beyond gravity.

The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has been closely watched by scientists because of its unusual spin and trajectory. 3I/ATLAS’s unique spin and hyperbolic path help scientists understand how interstellar comets behave. Its motion reveals clues about comet activity and forces beyond gravity.

Why scientists are closely monitoring 3I/ATLAS’s spin and trajectory

3I/ATLAS is larger, faster, and more active than ‘Oumuamua, the first interstellar visitor. Its bright tail and size make it a unique object for study. It’s being tracked by global telescopes. Scientists are watching closely to uncover its mysterious origins.


3I/ATLAS is larger, faster, and more active than ‘Oumuamua, the first interstellar visitor. Its bright tail and size make it a unique object for study. It’s being tracked by global telescopes. Scientists are watching closely to uncover its mysterious origins.

Tracking 3I/ATLAS through space: How it compares to ‘Oumuamua

The comet 3I/ATLAS has caught the attention of scientists worldwide. 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar comet nearing the Sun and Earth, poses no collision threat. Scientists worldwide track it to learn about its unique features and improve space safety. 

The comet 3I/ATLAS has caught the attention of scientists worldwide. 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar comet nearing the Sun and Earth, poses no collision threat. Scientists worldwide track it to learn about its unique features and improve space safety.&nbsp;

3I/ATLAS and Earth’s safety: Should we really be worried?

3I/ATLAS is the third known interstellar comet, larger and more active than previous visitors. Its unusual shape, speed and composition, it could reshape our understanding of the galaxy’s debris. Know more below.

3I/ATLAS is the third known interstellar comet, larger and more active than previous visitors. Its unusual shape, speed and composition, it could reshape our understanding of the galaxy’s debris. Know more below.

3I/ATLAS vs previous interstellar visitors: How different is it?

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is the hottest topic of debate in scientific circles. While almost everyone agrees that it is a comet, some disagree. Harvard scientist Avi Loeb has been peddling the theory that it could be an alien spaceship coming to probe the solar system. Now Michio Kaku, professor of theoretical physics at the City College of New York, is also talking about it in quite an intriguing manner. He says the litmus test to surely know what 3I/ATLAS is merely days away. On October 29-30, the comet will reach its nearest point to the Sun. If during this time it picks up extra energy, that means someone is steering it. The science educator and host said in a recent interview with NEWSMAX, "Perhaps this is a visitor, an intelligent visitor from another solar system. This week, it turns out that the asteroid or comet will be whizzing around our sun. And if it picks up extra energy on its flyby, that would clinch it. That means there's extraterrestrial intelligence involved. So watch for it."&nbsp;He added that starting October 30, they'll be tracking it to see whether it gets an extra boost of energy. "If so, it means we are being visited." Loeb has also talked about the same phenomenon that will seal the deal about the identity of 3I/ATLAS. When it goes around the Sun, they'll be watching for something called the Oberth effect, which means that "if you were to whip around the sun, you would pick up extra energy in the process." Loeb has been talking about this for weeks, saying that the interstellar comet could use the Sun's gravity to whip itself towards Earth. However, NASA and other space agencies have dismissed his claims, while agreeing that 3I/ATLAS is not a regular comet and displays several anomalies.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-precovery-images-captured-by-nasa-s-tess-show-no-coma-what-it-means-1760517800964">3I/ATLAS was spotted by NASA's TESS long before Atlas telescope. It saw no coma. Why?</a> Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-first-contact-or-existential-threat-netizens-are-convinced-nasa-and-esa-are-hiding-something-1759728703636">3I/Atlas, 'first contact or existential threat'? Why some netizens are convinced something is wrong</a> &nbsp;<h2>Where is 3I/ATLAS now?</h2>The interstellar visitor reached solar conjunction a few days ago and will reach perihelion on October 29. Solar conjunction occurs when a cosmic body moves to the opposite side of the Sun, in this case relative to Earth. Perihelion is when the object reaches its closest point to the Sun. Later, it is expected to continue on its journey and move out of the solar system, that is, if the "Black Swan" event does not happen.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-could-be-trojan-horse-40-per-cent-chance-it-alien-tech-masquerading-as-a-comet-1760004032017">3I/Atlas could be 'Trojan Horse' - 40% chance it's alien tech masquerading as a comet, scientist says</a><h2>3I/ATLAS details and update</h2>The alien comet is moving at a fascinating speed of 210,000 km/hour. It was officially discovered by the ATLAS observatory in Chile on July 1. When past data on other telescopes was scanned, precovery images were revealed by NASA's TESS telescope. It had spotted it in May and noticed it becoming extraordinarily bright. The comet did not have a clear tail for the longest time; however, a noticeable tail showed up a few weeks ago. It passed its nearest point to Mars in early October, and some orbiters captured some images. However, only one photo of 3I/ATLAS taken from Mars has been released so far. It poses no threat to Earth right now and will be 270 million kilometres away at its closest distance in December. &nbsp;

Alien origins of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS have intrigued yet another scientist, who says they will be watching it on October 29-30 to see if there is a change in its energy. A boost will be a clear signal that someone is driving it from the inside.

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is the hottest topic of debate in scientific circles. While almost everyone agrees that it is a comet, some disagree. Harvard scientist Avi Loeb has been peddling the theory that it could be an alien spaceship coming to probe the solar system. Now Michio Kaku, professor of theoretical physics at the City College of New York, is also talking about it in quite an intriguing manner. He says the litmus test to surely know what 3I/ATLAS is merely days away. On October 29-30, the comet will reach its nearest point to the Sun. If during this time it picks up extra energy, that means someone is steering it. The science educator and host said in a recent interview with NEWSMAX, "Perhaps this is a visitor, an intelligent visitor from another solar system. This week, it turns out that the asteroid or comet will be whizzing around our sun. And if it picks up extra energy on its flyby, that would clinch it. That means there's extraterrestrial intelligence involved. So watch for it." He added that starting October 30, they'll be tracking it to see whether it gets an extra boost of energy. "If so, it means we are being visited." Loeb has also talked about the same phenomenon that will seal the deal about the identity of 3I/ATLAS. When it goes around the Sun, they'll be watching for something called the Oberth effect, which means that "if you were to whip around the sun, you would pick up extra energy in the process." Loeb has been talking about this for weeks, saying that the interstellar comet could use the Sun's gravity to whip itself towards Earth. However, NASA and other space agencies have dismissed his claims, while agreeing that 3I/ATLAS is not a regular comet and displays several anomalies. Also Read: 3I/ATLAS was spotted by NASA's TESS long before Atlas telescope. It saw no coma. Why? Also Read: 3I/Atlas, 'first contact or existential threat'? Why some netizens are convinced something is wrong Where is 3I/ATLAS now? The interstellar visitor reached solar conjunction a few days ago and will reach perihelion on October 29. Solar conjunction occurs when a cosmic body moves to the opposite side of the Sun, in this case relative to Earth. Perihelion is when the object reaches its closest point to the Sun. Later, it is expected to continue on its journey and move out of the solar system, that is, if the "Black Swan" event does not happen. Also Read: 3I/Atlas could be 'Trojan Horse' - 40% chance it's alien tech masquerading as a comet, scientist says 3I/ATLAS details and update The alien comet is moving at a fascinating speed of 210,000 km/hour. It was officially discovered by the ATLAS observatory in Chile on July 1. When past data on other telescopes was scanned, precovery images were revealed by NASA's TESS telescope. It had spotted it in May and noticed it becoming extraordinarily bright. The comet did not have a clear tail for the longest time; however, a noticeable tail showed up a few weeks ago. It passed its nearest point to Mars in early October, and some orbiters captured some images. However, only one photo of 3I/ATLAS taken from Mars has been released so far. It poses no threat to Earth right now and will be 270 million kilometres away at its closest distance in December.

Alien origins of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS have intrigued yet another scientist, who says they will be watching it on October 29-30 to see if there is a change in its energy. A boost will be a clear signal that someone is driving it from the inside.

BINGO! 3I/ATLAS undergoes acid test near Sun: 'If it picks up extra...'

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will reach its closest point to the Sun soon, and this encounter will change it in several ways. The “alien mothership” claims will also be cleared after this event. What all can we expect from 3I/ATLAS and its meeting with the Sun?  

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will reach its closest point to the Sun soon, and this encounter will change it in several ways. The “alien mothership” claims will also be cleared after this event. What all can we expect from 3I/ATLAS and its meeting with the Sun? &nbsp;

What to expect as 3I/ATLAS reaches closest point to the Sun

Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has shared his insight on recent observations of the mysterious interstellar object 3I/ATLAS captured by the Nordic Optical Telescope in the Canary Islands of Spain. The latest finding reveals that the comet's unusual anti-solar tail has shifted its direction and is now pointing away from the Sun.&nbsp;The strange object, which features a distinct tail, has sparked a debate over its origin. In his latest paper, Loeb indicated that the behaviour of the trail might indicate 'controlled manoeuvring' by an alien spacecraft, describing it as a potential high-impact Black Swan event, according to a report in NDTV.&nbsp;It is believed that 3I/ATLAS originated from outside our solar system, and it was first spotted in July 2025 by the ATLAS survey telescope, with an updated image captured in September by the Nordic Optical Telescope in Spain's Canary Islands.&nbsp;Based on July and August 2025 observations, the space object has a rare "anti-solar tail"; however, the recent footage disclosed that the anti-tail turned into a tail in September 2025.<h3>What unusual characteristics does 3I/ATLAS show?</h3>The comet has displayed several unusual characteristics, including a gas jet directed toward the Sun, the absence of a typical cometary tail, and the emission of nickel tetracarbonyl, a compound never before detected in natural comets.&nbsp;"My colleague, Adam Hibberd, pointed out that if the object is an alien spacecraft slowing down, and the anti-tail is braking thrust, then this change from anti-tail to tail would be entirely expected near perihelion," says Loeb.&nbsp;"In that case, the transition would constitute a technosignature in the form of an unexpected phenomenon indicative of controlled manoeuvring, possibly with the intention of achieving a bound heliocentric orbit between Mars's and Jupiter's orbits," he added.&nbsp;The comet was projected to make its closest approach to the Sun on October 29, 2025, coming within about 1.36 astronomical units (AU). Recent observations show that as it moves closer to the Sun, material is being stripped away by intense solar radiation, estimated at up to 33 gigawatts.&nbsp;These findings have prompted Avi Loeb to speculate that the object might be a “manoeuvring” alien craft. However, space agencies have not supported this theory. NASA earlier clarified that the object will pass Earth at a safe distance, posing no danger. While Loeb’s claims have attracted global attention, many scientists remain unconvinced, arguing that the object’s features and motion are consistent with natural cometary behaviour.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-update-hera-and-europa-clipper-could-soon-enter-interstellar-comet-s-tail-1760675660656">3I/ATLAS update: Hera and Europa Clipper could soon enter interstellar comet's tail</a>

In the latest updates, Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb indicated that the behaviour of the trail might indicate 'controlled manoeuvring' by an alien spacecraft, describing it as a potential high-impact Black Swan event.

Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has shared his insight on recent observations of the mysterious interstellar object 3I/ATLAS captured by the Nordic Optical Telescope in the Canary Islands of Spain. The latest finding reveals that the comet's unusual anti-solar tail has shifted its direction and is now pointing away from the Sun. The strange object, which features a distinct tail, has sparked a debate over its origin. In his latest paper, Loeb indicated that the behaviour of the trail might indicate 'controlled manoeuvring' by an alien spacecraft, describing it as a potential high-impact Black Swan event, according to a report in NDTV. It is believed that 3I/ATLAS originated from outside our solar system, and it was first spotted in July 2025 by the ATLAS survey telescope, with an updated image captured in September by the Nordic Optical Telescope in Spain's Canary Islands. Based on July and August 2025 observations, the space object has a rare "anti-solar tail"; however, the recent footage disclosed that the anti-tail turned into a tail in September 2025. What unusual characteristics does 3I/ATLAS show? The comet has displayed several unusual characteristics, including a gas jet directed toward the Sun, the absence of a typical cometary tail, and the emission of nickel tetracarbonyl, a compound never before detected in natural comets. "My colleague, Adam Hibberd, pointed out that if the object is an alien spacecraft slowing down, and the anti-tail is braking thrust, then this change from anti-tail to tail would be entirely expected near perihelion," says Loeb. "In that case, the transition would constitute a technosignature in the form of an unexpected phenomenon indicative of controlled manoeuvring, possibly with the intention of achieving a bound heliocentric orbit between Mars's and Jupiter's orbits," he added. The comet was projected to make its closest approach to the Sun on October 29, 2025, coming within about 1.36 astronomical units (AU). Recent observations show that as it moves closer to the Sun, material is being stripped away by intense solar radiation, estimated at up to 33 gigawatts. These findings have prompted Avi Loeb to speculate that the object might be a “manoeuvring” alien craft. However, space agencies have not supported this theory. NASA earlier clarified that the object will pass Earth at a safe distance, posing no danger. While Loeb’s claims have attracted global attention, many scientists remain unconvinced, arguing that the object’s features and motion are consistent with natural cometary behaviour. Also read: 3I/ATLAS update: Hera and Europa Clipper could soon enter interstellar comet's tail

In the latest updates, Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb indicated that the behaviour of the trail might indicate 'controlled manoeuvring' by an alien spacecraft, describing it as a potential high-impact Black Swan event.

Is 3I/ATLAS a comet or ‘manoeuvring’ alien craft? Harvard astrophysicist reveals

3I/ATLAS new observations: Scientists have at least four more opportunities to use some probes already in space to see the interstellar comet. Two of these spacecraft are travelling towards their targets, an asteroid system and a Jupiter moon, while two have been at work for years. 

3I/ATLAS new observations: Scientists have at least four more opportunities to use some probes already in space to see the interstellar comet. Two of these spacecraft are travelling towards their targets, an asteroid system and a Jupiter moon, while two have been at work for years.&nbsp;

3I/ATLAS looming observations - Three Jupiter probes gearing up to spot interstellar comet

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS flew by Mars in early October, and this was an opportunity to observe the visitor using the orbiters hovering over the Red Planet. Very soon, two more spacecraft will get extremely close to the comet. In fact, both of them could enter the comet's tail, according to a new paper. These are NASA’s Europa Clipper and the European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft that are en route to their destinations. While Europa is going to study Jupiter's eponymous icy moon, Hera is travelling to the binary asteroid Didymos and Dimorphos. The authors stated that their paths are aligned in a manner that might take them through the interstellar comet's tail. This event will take place right around the time 3I/ATLAS gets nearer to the Sun. It is expected to reach perihelion on October 29 and will reach peak activity because of its proximity to our star. The paper has been accepted for publication in Research Notes of the AAS.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-precovery-images-captured-by-nasa-s-tess-show-no-coma-what-it-means-1760517800964">3I/ATLAS was spotted by NASA's TESS long before Atlas telescope. It saw no coma. Why?</a> Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/pastor-claims-ship-with-demonic-spirits-is-coming-for-earth-netizens-link-it-to-3i-atlas-1760588030874">Pastor claims 'ship with demonic spirits' is coming for Earth. Netizens link it to 3I/ATLAS</a> &nbsp;<h2>3I/ATLAS arrival dates - Hera first, then Europa Clipper will encounter comet</h2>Hera will be the first to poke through its ion tail between October 25 and November 1. The spacecraft might be able to gather some data on the tail of 3I/ATLAS, something that has been eluding the telescopes. Europa Clipper will encounter the comet between October 30 and November 6. “Europa Clipper has a rare opportunity to sample an interstellar object’s tail,” the authors wrote in the paper. Hera and Europa Clipper could help solve some of the mysteries surrounding 3I/ATLAS, as it has displayed several anomalies since its discovery on July 1. Besides these two opportunities, there will be one more man-made object in space peering at 3I/ATLAS. The European Space Agency's Jupiter Icy moons Explorer (JUICE) will also be monitoring the comet in November. At this time, it won't be visible from Earth since it will be on the other side of the Sun. But JUICE would have a great view of the alien comet. However, it will only relay information by February next year because of the equipment it uses to relay data.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-could-release-tiny-probes-that-may-self-replicate-technological-mothership-could-reveal-itself-1760106824868">3I/Atlas could release tiny probes that may 'self-replicate' - 'Technological mothership' could reveal itself</a><h2>Latest observations of 3I/ATLAS</h2>ESA's two orbiters - ExoMars (TGO) and Mars Express - captured the interstellar comet on October 2-3. While the space agency released one image taken by TGO, what Mars Express saw is still not known. NASA's Mars Reconnaissance orbiter was said to be best positioned to spot 3I/ATLAS over the Martian sky. However, the American space agency has not yet revealed anything about the sighting. This is probably because of the shutdown that affected NASA as well, which stopped updating it website. An internal staff overhaul is also reportedly taking place.&nbsp; &nbsp;

3I/ATLAS update today: Another window to study the interstellar comet opens around October 25. Two probes travelling towards a moon of Jupiter and an asteroid system might tear through the comet's tail and gather some data on it.

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS flew by Mars in early October, and this was an opportunity to observe the visitor using the orbiters hovering over the Red Planet. Very soon, two more spacecraft will get extremely close to the comet. In fact, both of them could enter the comet's tail, according to a new paper. These are NASA’s Europa Clipper and the European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft that are en route to their destinations. While Europa is going to study Jupiter's eponymous icy moon, Hera is travelling to the binary asteroid Didymos and Dimorphos. The authors stated that their paths are aligned in a manner that might take them through the interstellar comet's tail. This event will take place right around the time 3I/ATLAS gets nearer to the Sun. It is expected to reach perihelion on October 29 and will reach peak activity because of its proximity to our star. The paper has been accepted for publication in Research Notes of the AAS. Also Read: 3I/ATLAS was spotted by NASA's TESS long before Atlas telescope. It saw no coma. Why? Also Read: Pastor claims 'ship with demonic spirits' is coming for Earth. Netizens link it to 3I/ATLAS 3I/ATLAS arrival dates - Hera first, then Europa Clipper will encounter comet Hera will be the first to poke through its ion tail between October 25 and November 1. The spacecraft might be able to gather some data on the tail of 3I/ATLAS, something that has been eluding the telescopes. Europa Clipper will encounter the comet between October 30 and November 6. “Europa Clipper has a rare opportunity to sample an interstellar object’s tail,” the authors wrote in the paper. Hera and Europa Clipper could help solve some of the mysteries surrounding 3I/ATLAS, as it has displayed several anomalies since its discovery on July 1. Besides these two opportunities, there will be one more man-made object in space peering at 3I/ATLAS. The European Space Agency's Jupiter Icy moons Explorer (JUICE) will also be monitoring the comet in November. At this time, it won't be visible from Earth since it will be on the other side of the Sun. But JUICE would have a great view of the alien comet. However, it will only relay information by February next year because of the equipment it uses to relay data. Also Read: 3I/Atlas could release tiny probes that may 'self-replicate' - 'Technological mothership' could reveal itself Latest observations of 3I/ATLAS ESA's two orbiters - ExoMars (TGO) and Mars Express - captured the interstellar comet on October 2-3. While the space agency released one image taken by TGO, what Mars Express saw is still not known. NASA's Mars Reconnaissance orbiter was said to be best positioned to spot 3I/ATLAS over the Martian sky. However, the American space agency has not yet revealed anything about the sighting. This is probably because of the shutdown that affected NASA as well, which stopped updating it website. An internal staff overhaul is also reportedly taking place.

3I/ATLAS update today: Another window to study the interstellar comet opens around October 25. Two probes travelling towards a moon of Jupiter and an asteroid system might tear through the comet's tail and gather some data on it.

3I/ATLAS update: Hera and Europa Clipper could soon enter interstellar comet's tail

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS latest update: Some more strange observations about the comet have come to light. Earliest pictures show no coma, while it is not releasing water like a fire hose. What's going on with this visitor from outside the solar system?

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS latest update: Some more strange observations about the comet have come to light. Earliest pictures show no coma, while it is not releasing water like a fire hose. What's going on with this visitor from outside the solar system?

Latest bizarre observations of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS explained

A pastor in America is claiming that God showed him a vision of an "alien" ship flying over the Vatican and Mayan temples in Mexico. Brandon Biggs said in a YouTube video that "demonic spirits" are coming for Earth, but he doesn't know when. Biggs' claim has gone viral on social media, especially since an interstellar visitor is racing towards the Sun. 3I/ATLAS has been labelled a comet by scientists, but bizarre occurrences and observations have led some scientists to speculate that it could be an extraterrestrial relic. "A major distraction is about to take place. I said, 'Lord, are there two of these?' And he said, 'No, it's just one'," Biggs said in a video, as per Daily Mail. Notably, he had earlier predicted the assassination attempt on Donald Trump three months before it happened. "This bullet flew by his ear, and it came so close to his head that it busted his eardrum," he said in April last year. Three months later, a man named &nbsp;Matthew Crooks fired bullets at him at a Pennsylvania campaign rally, with one bullet brushing past his ear, leaving Trump bleeding.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-precovery-images-captured-by-nasa-s-tess-show-no-coma-what-it-means-1760517800964">3I/ATLAS was spotted by NASA's TESS long before Atlas telescope. It saw no coma. Why?</a> &nbsp;<h2>Scientist claims 3I/Atlas could be an alien mothership and release tiny probes</h2>This has led people to think that his latest prediction about these travellers could also come true. What's shocking is that he has predicted one aspect about the extraterrestrial visitor exactly as Avi Loeb. The Harvard scientist has put forward several anomalies in 3I/ATLAS to claim that there is a 30% - 40 % chance that it is a piece of alien technology. One of his theories is that this "mothership" could release mini probes that will spread on different planets in the solar system and even replicate. Biggs also said the same thing about this object in July. He said in July this year, that he saw "little bitty ships coming out of this mother ship that were balls of light." The Oklahoma pastor admitted that it "sounds way out there", adding, "It was way out there to me. I didn't even want to talk about it, but I'm instructed to. I'm just here to warn you."Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-first-contact-or-existential-threat-netizens-are-convinced-nasa-and-esa-are-hiding-something-1759728703636">3I/Atlas, 'first contact or existential threat'? Why some netizens are convinced something is wrong</a> &nbsp;He said that "everybody will freak out because they're going to see it moving across the ocean." Biggs further claims that those coming are not aliens, since there is "no such thing." "There are going to be things in the sky that are going to scare everybody in the days ahead because people are going to go, 'Oh, no. ET really exists.' No, it's fallen angels," he said. &nbsp;Even though his prophecy has gone viral, some people are slamming him as "fake". But since his prediction about Trump came partly true (Trump did not burst his eardrum), netizens fear there is a chance that this spaceship is coming for Earth. Besides, it coincides with 3I/ATLAS and Loeb's theory that there is a possibility that it is not of natural origin.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/detailed-observations-on-anomalous-3i-atlas-trajectory-show-why-it-could-be-artificial-technology-1759823032754">3I/Atlas origin and trajectory: Interstellar object could have come from a 'conical disk'</a> &nbsp;<h2>Latest update on 3I/ATLAS</h2>The interstellar comet flew by Mars on October 2-3 and is now travelling towards the Sun. It will reach perihelion (closest point to the Sun) on October 29-30. Loeb says that if it is truly a comet, 3I/ATLAS would disintegrate because of the acceleration, the heat and the gravitational force. At this time, it will also hide in the glare of the sun. However, if it is an alien "mothership", it could seed the bodies in the solar system with mini probes. The interstellar object has displayed new anomalies, with Loeb writing that fresh images of 3I/Atlas taken by the Keck Telescope on August 24 show that the gas plume around it features prominent nickel emission but no evidence for iron. He says this is an anomaly only seen in industrial objects and never before in all known comets.&nbsp;&nbsp;After it survives the trip to the sun, it will again become visible from Earth, and will make its closest approach to our planet in mid-December. In November, the European Space Agency's Jupiter Icy moons Explorer (JUICE) spacecraft will observe 3I/ATLAS, but won't send data until February next year. Then, NASA's Juno spacecraft will observe it in March 2026. Photos of 3I/ATLAS from the Mars orbiter TGO have been released, but observations made by Mars Express and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have still not been made public.&nbsp; &nbsp;

An American pastor who foresaw the assassination attempt on Donald Trump has said that a ship with "demonic spirits" is coming for Earth. Some people he could be talking about 3I/ATLAS, the interstellar object flagged to be of unnatural origin by a scientist.

A pastor in America is claiming that God showed him a vision of an "alien" ship flying over the Vatican and Mayan temples in Mexico. Brandon Biggs said in a YouTube video that "demonic spirits" are coming for Earth, but he doesn't know when. Biggs' claim has gone viral on social media, especially since an interstellar visitor is racing towards the Sun. 3I/ATLAS has been labelled a comet by scientists, but bizarre occurrences and observations have led some scientists to speculate that it could be an extraterrestrial relic. "A major distraction is about to take place. I said, 'Lord, are there two of these?' And he said, 'No, it's just one'," Biggs said in a video, as per Daily Mail. Notably, he had earlier predicted the assassination attempt on Donald Trump three months before it happened. "This bullet flew by his ear, and it came so close to his head that it busted his eardrum," he said in April last year. Three months later, a man named Matthew Crooks fired bullets at him at a Pennsylvania campaign rally, with one bullet brushing past his ear, leaving Trump bleeding. Also Read: 3I/ATLAS was spotted by NASA's TESS long before Atlas telescope. It saw no coma. Why? Scientist claims 3I/Atlas could be an alien mothership and release tiny probes This has led people to think that his latest prediction about these travellers could also come true. What's shocking is that he has predicted one aspect about the extraterrestrial visitor exactly as Avi Loeb. The Harvard scientist has put forward several anomalies in 3I/ATLAS to claim that there is a 30% - 40 % chance that it is a piece of alien technology. One of his theories is that this "mothership" could release mini probes that will spread on different planets in the solar system and even replicate. Biggs also said the same thing about this object in July. He said in July this year, that he saw "little bitty ships coming out of this mother ship that were balls of light." The Oklahoma pastor admitted that it "sounds way out there", adding, "It was way out there to me. I didn't even want to talk about it, but I'm instructed to. I'm just here to warn you." Also Read: 3I/Atlas, 'first contact or existential threat'? Why some netizens are convinced something is wrong He said that "everybody will freak out because they're going to see it moving across the ocean." Biggs further claims that those coming are not aliens, since there is "no such thing." "There are going to be things in the sky that are going to scare everybody in the days ahead because people are going to go, 'Oh, no. ET really exists.' No, it's fallen angels," he said. Even though his prophecy has gone viral, some people are slamming him as "fake". But since his prediction about Trump came partly true (Trump did not burst his eardrum), netizens fear there is a chance that this spaceship is coming for Earth. Besides, it coincides with 3I/ATLAS and Loeb's theory that there is a possibility that it is not of natural origin. Also Read: 3I/Atlas origin and trajectory: Interstellar object could have come from a 'conical disk' Latest update on 3I/ATLAS The interstellar comet flew by Mars on October 2-3 and is now travelling towards the Sun. It will reach perihelion (closest point to the Sun) on October 29-30. Loeb says that if it is truly a comet, 3I/ATLAS would disintegrate because of the acceleration, the heat and the gravitational force. At this time, it will also hide in the glare of the sun. However, if it is an alien "mothership", it could seed the bodies in the solar system with mini probes. The interstellar object has displayed new anomalies, with Loeb writing that fresh images of 3I/Atlas taken by the Keck Telescope on August 24 show that the gas plume around it features prominent nickel emission but no evidence for iron. He says this is an anomaly only seen in industrial objects and never before in all known comets. After it survives the trip to the sun, it will again become visible from Earth, and will make its closest approach to our planet in mid-December. In November, the European Space Agency's Jupiter Icy moons Explorer (JUICE) spacecraft will observe 3I/ATLAS, but won't send data until February next year. Then, NASA's Juno spacecraft will observe it in March 2026. Photos of 3I/ATLAS from the Mars orbiter TGO have been released, but observations made by Mars Express and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have still not been made public.

An American pastor who foresaw the assassination attempt on Donald Trump has said that a ship with "demonic spirits" is coming for Earth. Some people he could be talking about 3I/ATLAS, the interstellar object flagged to be of unnatural origin by a scientist.

'I'm here to warn you' - Pastor claims 'ship with demonic spirits' is coming for Earth. Netizens link it to 3I/ATLAS

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has been a topic of discussion ever since it was discovered on July 1 this year. Scientists have been intrigued by the visitor from outer space because of its strange behaviour, such as its speed, light and size, all of which have baffled them. First spotted by the Atlas telescope in Chile, scientists also found observations taken by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) way back in May-June. A group of scientists from the American Astronomical Society got together to analyse the data of TESS on 3I/Atlas to look for an extended coma that would be a clear indication of cometary activity. However, they did not find a clear indicator. In a new paper, the researchers stated that "a faint extended coma" was seen in follow-up observations after July 1. Then, scientists started looking for pre-discovery images and found that TESS had recorded 3I/Atlas over 20 days between May 7 and June 1.&nbsp;It was previously revealed that the object displayed sudden brightening by mid/late May. The researchers in the latest analysis also spotted the same, a behaviour spotted by other ground-based observations. They wrote, "This suggests that 3I experienced a notable increase in its activity when it was at a heliocentric distance ∼6 au." They added, "However, it is not known whether this change reflects a surge in production from a period of low-level, sustained activity, or if it represents the onset of activity from a bare nucleus."Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-could-release-tiny-probes-that-may-self-replicate-technological-mothership-could-reveal-itself-1760106824868">3I/Atlas could release tiny probes that may 'self-replicate' - 'Technological mothership' could reveal itself</a> Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-could-be-trojan-horse-40-per-cent-chance-it-alien-tech-masquerading-as-a-comet-1760004032017">3I/Atlas could be 'Trojan Horse' - 40% chance it's alien tech masquerading as a comet, scientist says</a><h2>TESS data was used to create a deep image of 3I/ATLAS</h2>To detect the coma, thousands of frames of images taken by TESS were co-added to produce a very deep image. This process can reveal features like the coma of a comet. They then measured the radial profile of the comet in each of the two coadded frames used and then applied the same procedures to four asteroids with comparable proper motions. They found that the profiles of comet 3I/ATLAS are comparable to those of the four asteroids, "indicating that there is no extended coma detected, even in the deep, coadded TESS data."&nbsp;However, the researchers say that this does not mean that 3I/ATLAS was inactive at the time of the TESS observations since "any gas or dust emitted in late May would not be expected to produce an extended coma in the TESS observations." They added that any coma that was produced would have only become visible after the end of the TESS observations. &nbsp;The scientists stated that the lack of a coma detection in the TESS data means that "the observations from early May are consistent with either a bare nucleus, with very low levels of activity, or with very slow dust emission velocities."

3I/ATLAS precovery images: Scientists from the American Astronomical Society analysed TESS data to search for the coma of the interstellar comet. However, they did not find any. They explained why TESS did not picture a coma. 

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has been a topic of discussion ever since it was discovered on July 1 this year. Scientists have been intrigued by the visitor from outer space because of its strange behaviour, such as its speed, light and size, all of which have baffled them. First spotted by the Atlas telescope in Chile, scientists also found observations taken by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) way back in May-June. A group of scientists from the American Astronomical Society got together to analyse the data of TESS on 3I/Atlas to look for an extended coma that would be a clear indication of cometary activity. However, they did not find a clear indicator. In a new paper, the researchers stated that "a faint extended coma" was seen in follow-up observations after July 1. Then, scientists started looking for pre-discovery images and found that TESS had recorded 3I/Atlas over 20 days between May 7 and June 1. It was previously revealed that the object displayed sudden brightening by mid/late May. The researchers in the latest analysis also spotted the same, a behaviour spotted by other ground-based observations. They wrote, "This suggests that 3I experienced a notable increase in its activity when it was at a heliocentric distance ∼6 au." They added, "However, it is not known whether this change reflects a surge in production from a period of low-level, sustained activity, or if it represents the onset of activity from a bare nucleus." Also Read: 3I/Atlas could release tiny probes that may 'self-replicate' - 'Technological mothership' could reveal itself Also Read: 3I/Atlas could be 'Trojan Horse' - 40% chance it's alien tech masquerading as a comet, scientist says TESS data was used to create a deep image of 3I/ATLAS To detect the coma, thousands of frames of images taken by TESS were co-added to produce a very deep image. This process can reveal features like the coma of a comet. They then measured the radial profile of the comet in each of the two coadded frames used and then applied the same procedures to four asteroids with comparable proper motions. They found that the profiles of comet 3I/ATLAS are comparable to those of the four asteroids, "indicating that there is no extended coma detected, even in the deep, coadded TESS data." However, the researchers say that this does not mean that 3I/ATLAS was inactive at the time of the TESS observations since "any gas or dust emitted in late May would not be expected to produce an extended coma in the TESS observations." They added that any coma that was produced would have only become visible after the end of the TESS observations. The scientists stated that the lack of a coma detection in the TESS data means that "the observations from early May are consistent with either a bare nucleus, with very low levels of activity, or with very slow dust emission velocities."

3I/ATLAS precovery images: Scientists from the American Astronomical Society analysed TESS data to search for the coma of the interstellar comet. However, they did not find any. They explained why TESS did not picture a coma.&nbsp;

3I/ATLAS was spotted by NASA's TESS long before Atlas telescope. It saw no coma. Why?

3I/ATLAS, 2I/Borisov and Oumuamua, the three interstellar visitors, are extremely different from each other in their construction, trajectory and other aspects. They have changed the way scientists 

3I/ATLAS, 2I/Borisov and Oumuamua, the three interstellar visitors, are extremely different from each other in their construction, trajectory and other aspects. They have changed the way scientists&nbsp;

3I/ATLAS, 2I/Borisov and Oumuamua: How interstellar visitors are upending theories on planet and comet formation

Latest update on 3I/ATLAS: The interstellar comet is travelling through the solar system after crossing Mars in early October. It is now racing towards the Suna nd will soon reach perihelion. What next to expect from 3I/ATLAS?

Latest update on 3I/ATLAS: The interstellar comet is travelling through the solar system after crossing Mars in early October. It is now racing towards the Suna nd will soon reach perihelion. What next to expect from 3I/ATLAS?

Latest on 3I/ATLAS: Where is it headed, and what next to expect from interstellar comet?

Interstellar object 3I/Atlas will reveal itself in the coming weeks. Just as it reaches perihelion, that is, its closest point to the Sun, it might disintegrate into several pieces. This happens to a comet because of several reasons, such as outgassing or the gravitational force. If 3I/Atlas is a comet, the same thing is expected to happen. However, if it is not a natural object, as suspected by one scientist, it will skip this process. But in that case, he expects it to launch several mini probes that could go on to study our solar system. Harvard scientist Avi Loeb has once again raised the question of whether or not 3I/Atlas is a comet. He wrote in his blog, "If 3I/ATLAS is a comet of natural origin, it could disintegrate into fragments as it comes closer to the Sun."&nbsp;"We should keep our eyes on this fuzzy ball of light and check whether it breaks up into independent, smaller dots of light," he added. This happens because of the heating by the sun. Some other reasons comets break up include gravitational tides and rotational stress from outgassing. However, this breaking up depends on the composition and material strength of the comets. Sometimes comets are weaker, such as 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, which was formed from smaller pieces that joined. Such comets can break up easily. Smaller comets are also vulnerable to falling apart because of thermal stress. Some comets, like 332P/Ikeya-Murakami, break apart because of rapid spin.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/nasa-s-silence-on-3i-atlas-down-to-terrestrial-stupidity-not-proof-of-alien-intelligence-1759985526293">NASA's silence on 3I/Atlas down to 'terrestrial stupidity', not proof of 'alien intelligence' - Blame govt shutdown</a>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-photo-captured-from-mars-perfect-glowing-cylinder-captivates-internet-1759727345051">3I/Atlas photo captured from Mars? 'Perfect glowing cylinder' triggers debate</a> &nbsp;<h2>3I/Atlas could release tiny probes that might replicate themselves</h2>Which category 3I/Atlas falls into could be known after October 29. However, Loeb once again raised the possibility that it is an alien spaceship. He had earlier claimed that if the interstellar object is a "mothership", it could release tiny probes to plant them on the planets. "A fleet of smaller objects could also appear as a result of a technological mothership which releases min-probes to study multiple targets simultaneously," he wrote. However, this time, he made a fresh claim that these tiny probes meant for exploration could even "self-replicate", meaning create copies of themselves to cover several locations at once.&nbsp;After 3I/Atlas comes out of the glare of the Sun, things could change dramatically. Loeb has earlier said that it could use the gravitational force of the Sun to fling itself towards Earth. That is quite a fat-fetched claim, but Loeb cites several anomalies he has noted since its discovery on July 1.&nbsp;

Latest update on 3I/Atlas: Will 3I/Atlas break apart as it nears the Sun? If it is a comet, this could happen. However, Avi Loeb claims it could release tiny probes which could replicate and spread to different locations for exploration purposes. 

Interstellar object 3I/Atlas will reveal itself in the coming weeks. Just as it reaches perihelion, that is, its closest point to the Sun, it might disintegrate into several pieces. This happens to a comet because of several reasons, such as outgassing or the gravitational force. If 3I/Atlas is a comet, the same thing is expected to happen. However, if it is not a natural object, as suspected by one scientist, it will skip this process. But in that case, he expects it to launch several mini probes that could go on to study our solar system. Harvard scientist Avi Loeb has once again raised the question of whether or not 3I/Atlas is a comet. He wrote in his blog, "If 3I/ATLAS is a comet of natural origin, it could disintegrate into fragments as it comes closer to the Sun." "We should keep our eyes on this fuzzy ball of light and check whether it breaks up into independent, smaller dots of light," he added. This happens because of the heating by the sun. Some other reasons comets break up include gravitational tides and rotational stress from outgassing. However, this breaking up depends on the composition and material strength of the comets. Sometimes comets are weaker, such as 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, which was formed from smaller pieces that joined. Such comets can break up easily. Smaller comets are also vulnerable to falling apart because of thermal stress. Some comets, like 332P/Ikeya-Murakami, break apart because of rapid spin. Also Read: NASA's silence on 3I/Atlas down to 'terrestrial stupidity', not proof of 'alien intelligence' - Blame govt shutdown Also Read: 3I/Atlas photo captured from Mars? 'Perfect glowing cylinder' triggers debate 3I/Atlas could release tiny probes that might replicate themselves Which category 3I/Atlas falls into could be known after October 29. However, Loeb once again raised the possibility that it is an alien spaceship. He had earlier claimed that if the interstellar object is a "mothership", it could release tiny probes to plant them on the planets. "A fleet of smaller objects could also appear as a result of a technological mothership which releases min-probes to study multiple targets simultaneously," he wrote. However, this time, he made a fresh claim that these tiny probes meant for exploration could even "self-replicate", meaning create copies of themselves to cover several locations at once. After 3I/Atlas comes out of the glare of the Sun, things could change dramatically. Loeb has earlier said that it could use the gravitational force of the Sun to fling itself towards Earth. That is quite a fat-fetched claim, but Loeb cites several anomalies he has noted since its discovery on July 1.

Latest update on 3I/Atlas: Will 3I/Atlas break apart as it nears the Sun? If it is a comet, this could happen. However, Avi Loeb claims it could release tiny probes which could replicate and spread to different locations for exploration purposes.&nbsp;

3I/Atlas could release tiny probes that may 'self-replicate' - 'Technological mothership' could reveal itself

Harvard scientist Avi Loeb has once again claimed that 3I/Atlas, the third interstellar visitor, could be an alien piece of technology coming to probe Earth. In an interview, details of which he shared in his blog, Loeb said there is a chance that this visitor is not a natural object. He assigned "a 30–40% likelihood that 3I/ATLAS does not have a fully natural origin," based on the seven anomalies the object has exhibited. The professor claims there is a "low-probability scenario" wherein it turns out that it is "a Trojan Horse", meaning "a technological object masquerades as a natural comet." He admitted that this figure is not rigid and it will evolve based on further observations in the coming months.&nbsp;&nbsp;Right now, we are waiting for more images of 3I/Atlas taken by the Mars orbiters, which would have observed it during its flyby of the Red Planet on October 3. A picture of 3I/Atlas taken by the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) has been released by the European Space Agency (ESA). Data from Mars Express is awaited, while NASA has gone completely mum, thanks to the shutdown. The JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) probe sent by the European Space Agency (ESA) is expected to take a closer look in November. Loeb is hopeful of lots of data on the interstellar object in the coming months, which will help decode the true nature of the interstellar visitor.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/nasa-s-silence-on-3i-atlas-down-to-terrestrial-stupidity-not-proof-of-alien-intelligence-1759985526293">NASA's silence on 3I/Atlas down to 'terrestrial stupidity', not proof of 'alien intelligence' - Blame govt shutdown</a> &nbsp;<h2>Interstellar object 3I/Atlas anomalies</h2>The scientist has so far spotted seven anomalies in 3I/Atlas. First is its size, as he claims its diameter is likely larger than 5 kilometres, with its mass being at least 33 billion tons. That makes it way larger than ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov. The object is moving at a speed of 210,000 km/hour, which he says is not possible for a cosmic object of this size.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-first-contact-or-existential-threat-netizens-are-convinced-nasa-and-esa-are-hiding-something-1759728703636">3I/Atlas, 'first contact or existential threat'? Why some netizens are convinced something is wrong</a>&nbsp;Citing the Hubble image, Loeb says that 3I/Atlas does not have a cometary tail. In fact, he says it has an anti-tail, a forward jet of scattered sunlight that is 10 times longer than it is wide. Later pictures showed a small tail, as corroborated by the TGO images as well. The plume of gas around 3I/Atlas mostly consists of nickel and not as much iron, which he says is comparable to industrial nickel alloys. The light from 3I/ATLAS showed extreme negative polarisation, and Loeb thinks this object could be making its own light.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-photo-captured-from-mars-perfect-glowing-cylinder-captivates-internet-1759727345051">3I/Atlas photo captured from Mars? 'Perfect glowing cylinder' triggers debate</a> &nbsp;<h2>3I/Atlas trajectory and arrival</h2>The most fascinating and puzzling anomaly he cites is its trajectory. Firstly, 3I/Atlas is aligned with the ecliptic plane of planets around the Sun to within 5 degrees, which he says has only a &nbsp;0.2% chance of happening. Second, this path will bring it close to at least three planets - Mars, Venus and Jupiter - and this, he says, has a 0.005% likelihood. His other observation and calculation show that the Wow! Signal of 1977 came from the same direction as 3I/Atlas. Could it have beamed the signal?<h2>The Trojan Horse</h2>Loeb says the world should be prepared to battle an enemy that could be just like the Trojan Horse from Greek mythology. Inside a wooden horse that the Trojans brought inside their city were Greek soldiers who emerged at night and opened the gates to the Troy to let the rest of the army in. This event is believed to have brought an end to the Trojan War. &nbsp;

3I/Atlas update today: 3I/Atlas, the third interstellar visitor, could turn out to be a Trojan Horse, a scientist claims. He says there is a 40 per cent chance that it is not a natural object. But he admits his data could change depending on future observations.

Harvard scientist Avi Loeb has once again claimed that 3I/Atlas, the third interstellar visitor, could be an alien piece of technology coming to probe Earth. In an interview, details of which he shared in his blog, Loeb said there is a chance that this visitor is not a natural object. He assigned "a 30–40% likelihood that 3I/ATLAS does not have a fully natural origin," based on the seven anomalies the object has exhibited. The professor claims there is a "low-probability scenario" wherein it turns out that it is "a Trojan Horse", meaning "a technological object masquerades as a natural comet." He admitted that this figure is not rigid and it will evolve based on further observations in the coming months. Right now, we are waiting for more images of 3I/Atlas taken by the Mars orbiters, which would have observed it during its flyby of the Red Planet on October 3. A picture of 3I/Atlas taken by the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) has been released by the European Space Agency (ESA). Data from Mars Express is awaited, while NASA has gone completely mum, thanks to the shutdown. The JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) probe sent by the European Space Agency (ESA) is expected to take a closer look in November. Loeb is hopeful of lots of data on the interstellar object in the coming months, which will help decode the true nature of the interstellar visitor. Also Read: NASA's silence on 3I/Atlas down to 'terrestrial stupidity', not proof of 'alien intelligence' - Blame govt shutdown Interstellar object 3I/Atlas anomalies The scientist has so far spotted seven anomalies in 3I/Atlas. First is its size, as he claims its diameter is likely larger than 5 kilometres, with its mass being at least 33 billion tons. That makes it way larger than ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov. The object is moving at a speed of 210,000 km/hour, which he says is not possible for a cosmic object of this size. Also Read: 3I/Atlas, 'first contact or existential threat'? Why some netizens are convinced something is wrong Citing the Hubble image, Loeb says that 3I/Atlas does not have a cometary tail. In fact, he says it has an anti-tail, a forward jet of scattered sunlight that is 10 times longer than it is wide. Later pictures showed a small tail, as corroborated by the TGO images as well. The plume of gas around 3I/Atlas mostly consists of nickel and not as much iron, which he says is comparable to industrial nickel alloys. The light from 3I/ATLAS showed extreme negative polarisation, and Loeb thinks this object could be making its own light. Also Read: 3I/Atlas photo captured from Mars? 'Perfect glowing cylinder' triggers debate 3I/Atlas trajectory and arrival The most fascinating and puzzling anomaly he cites is its trajectory. Firstly, 3I/Atlas is aligned with the ecliptic plane of planets around the Sun to within 5 degrees, which he says has only a 0.2% chance of happening. Second, this path will bring it close to at least three planets - Mars, Venus and Jupiter - and this, he says, has a 0.005% likelihood. His other observation and calculation show that the Wow! Signal of 1977 came from the same direction as 3I/Atlas. Could it have beamed the signal? The Trojan Horse Loeb says the world should be prepared to battle an enemy that could be just like the Trojan Horse from Greek mythology. Inside a wooden horse that the Trojans brought inside their city were Greek soldiers who emerged at night and opened the gates to the Troy to let the rest of the army in. This event is believed to have brought an end to the Trojan War.

3I/Atlas update today: 3I/Atlas, the third interstellar visitor, could turn out to be a Trojan Horse, a scientist claims. He says there is a 40 per cent chance that it is not a natural object. But he admits his data could change depending on future observations.

3I/Atlas could be 'Trojan Horse' - 40% chance it's alien tech masquerading as a comet, scientist says

NASA's silence on 3I/Atlas has caught everyone's attention, with some even speculating that the space agency has likely learnt some astonishing details about the comet and is holding onto the information. However, Avi Loeb, a Harvard scientist, says this proves nothing. In fact, it shows human "stupidity" as opposed to proof of alien activity, he said in an interview, referring to the US shutdown. Notably, the US government has been shut down for nine days, and several attempts to end it have failed, with the latest bid coming on Wednesday (October 8). The vote to move forward on the GOP measure, which has already passed the House, was 54 to 45. Sixty votes were needed to advance it. &nbsp;"The House is done. The ball is now in the Senate's court," House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters.<h2>Mars orbiter photo of 3I/Atlas</h2>NASA has also been in shutdown following the impasses over the matter. The space agency has been feeling the effects of the US government shutdown and has stopped updating its website. The first images of the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas were recently captured by a European Space Agency Mars orbiter. A picture taken by a NASA rover is also doing the rounds; however, it has not officially been released. The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) took a picture of the comet when it flew by the Red Planet on October 3. However, it only released the first image on October 7. Data from its other orbiter, Mars Express, is still awaited. Meanwhile, NASA has yet to officially confirm that the rover photo it showcased was of 3I/Atlas. NASA's silence led netizens to believe that 3I/Atlas could, after all, be an alien spaceship, as claimed by Loeb based on the anomalies.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/first-photo-of-3i-atlas-taken-by-mars-orbiter-exomars-tgo-captures-bright-coma-but-no-tail-1759891801720">3I/Atlas photo taken by Mars orbiter: ExoMars (TGO) captures bright coma but no tail</a>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/detailed-observations-on-anomalous-3i-atlas-trajectory-show-why-it-could-be-artificial-technology-1759823032754">3I/Atlas origin and trajectory: Interstellar object could have come from a 'conical disk'</a> &nbsp;<h2>3I/Atlas could be an “alien mothership”, Loeb had claimed</h2>However, Loeb doesn't think that is the case. When asked in an interview if he thinks NASA and other agencies know more than they let on about the comet, he said, "No. In particular, I believe that the recent delay in the dissemination of data from NASA as a result of the government shutdown does not flag extraterrestrial intelligence but rather terrestrial stupidity." Loeb has earlier stated that 3I/Atlas could be an "alien mothership" and that humans need to be prepared to defend themselves. He has called on world leaders to work together against a common enemy which could be coming someday.&nbsp;According to experts, NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is expected to get the best shots of 3I/Atlas because it was much closer to the comet when it came nearly 30 million kilometres close to Mars. However, NASA is completely mum about what its orbiter might have captured. Everyone is waiting for the American space agency to reveal new pictures of 3I/Atlas, and possibly its true nature. &nbsp;

NASA has yet to reveal any information on the interstellar object 3I/Atlas that its Mars orbiter might have captured. People think there is something fishy about its silence. However, a scientist says it is simply "terrestrial stupidity' thanks to the US government shutdown.

NASA's silence on 3I/Atlas has caught everyone's attention, with some even speculating that the space agency has likely learnt some astonishing details about the comet and is holding onto the information. However, Avi Loeb, a Harvard scientist, says this proves nothing. In fact, it shows human "stupidity" as opposed to proof of alien activity, he said in an interview, referring to the US shutdown. Notably, the US government has been shut down for nine days, and several attempts to end it have failed, with the latest bid coming on Wednesday (October 8). The vote to move forward on the GOP measure, which has already passed the House, was 54 to 45. Sixty votes were needed to advance it. "The House is done. The ball is now in the Senate's court," House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters. Mars orbiter photo of 3I/Atlas NASA has also been in shutdown following the impasses over the matter. The space agency has been feeling the effects of the US government shutdown and has stopped updating its website. The first images of the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas were recently captured by a European Space Agency Mars orbiter. A picture taken by a NASA rover is also doing the rounds; however, it has not officially been released. The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) took a picture of the comet when it flew by the Red Planet on October 3. However, it only released the first image on October 7. Data from its other orbiter, Mars Express, is still awaited. Meanwhile, NASA has yet to officially confirm that the rover photo it showcased was of 3I/Atlas. NASA's silence led netizens to believe that 3I/Atlas could, after all, be an alien spaceship, as claimed by Loeb based on the anomalies. Also Read: 3I/Atlas photo taken by Mars orbiter: ExoMars (TGO) captures bright coma but no tail Also Read: 3I/Atlas origin and trajectory: Interstellar object could have come from a 'conical disk' 3I/Atlas could be an “alien mothership”, Loeb had claimed However, Loeb doesn't think that is the case. When asked in an interview if he thinks NASA and other agencies know more than they let on about the comet, he said, "No. In particular, I believe that the recent delay in the dissemination of data from NASA as a result of the government shutdown does not flag extraterrestrial intelligence but rather terrestrial stupidity." Loeb has earlier stated that 3I/Atlas could be an "alien mothership" and that humans need to be prepared to defend themselves. He has called on world leaders to work together against a common enemy which could be coming someday. According to experts, NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is expected to get the best shots of 3I/Atlas because it was much closer to the comet when it came nearly 30 million kilometres close to Mars. However, NASA is completely mum about what its orbiter might have captured. Everyone is waiting for the American space agency to reveal new pictures of 3I/Atlas, and possibly its true nature.

NASA has yet to reveal any information on the interstellar object 3I/Atlas that its Mars orbiter might have captured. People think there is something fishy about its silence. However, a scientist says it is simply "terrestrial stupidity' thanks to the US government shutdown.

NASA's silence on 3I/Atlas down to 'terrestrial stupidity', not proof of 'alien intelligence' - Blame govt shutdown

First photos of interstellar comet 3I/Atlas taken by a Mars orbiter have been released by the European Space Agency (ESA). ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) captured a white ball of light tumbling through space at a distance of 30 million km. Meanwhile, images from the Mars Express spacecraft are still not available, as ESA says it took images "with an exposure time of just 0.5 seconds (the maximum limit for Mars Express) compared to five seconds for ExoMars TGO." The cameras on both the orbiters were turned towards 3I/Atlas between October 1 and 7 to allow them to capture the interstellar object that has been somewhat of a mystery since being discovered on July 1.ExoMars TGO captured the series of images using its Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS). ESA said that the "slightly fuzzy white dot moving downwards near the centre of the image" is 3I/Atlas.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/detailed-observations-on-anomalous-3i-atlas-trajectory-show-why-it-could-be-artificial-technology-1759823032754">3I/Atlas origin and trajectory: Interstellar object could have come from a 'conical disk'</a> &nbsp;<h2>3I/Atlas photo shows a bright coma, but no tail</h2>However, it could not gather a lot of data about it because of it was too far away. ESA said it is just like watching the Moon from Earth using your phone. “This dot is the centre of the comet, comprising its icy-rocky nucleus and its surrounding coma,” the ESA wrote. The image of 3I/Atlas shows a bright coma, as CaSSIS could not distinguish the nucleus from the coma because of the distance. The space agency also said that the nucleus was only about a kilometre wide, as shown in previous observations, and so couldn't be captured by TGO. However, the coma, measuring a few thousand kilometres across, is clearly visible in the photos.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the cometary tail is absent in the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) photos, which might again trigger debate about the true nature of 3I/Atlas. ESA said that the photos do not show a tail, which is typically millions of kilometres long as comets move towards the Sun. But in the case of 3I/Atlas, it is much dimmer than the coma. "We can’t see the tail in the CaSSIS images, but it may become more visible in future observations as the comet continues to heat up and release more ice," the ESA said. Nick Thomas, Principal Investigator of the CaSSIS camera, explains, “This was a very challenging observation for the instrument. The comet is around 10,000 to 100,000 times fainter than our usual target.” ESA is still working to process the photos taken by Mars Express.&nbsp;

The first photo of 3I/Atlas taken by a Mars orbiter has been released. It was taken by ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and shows a bright, white object tumbling through space 30 million km from Mars. ESA is still working to get more photos from its other orbiter.

First photos of interstellar comet 3I/Atlas taken by a Mars orbiter have been released by the European Space Agency (ESA). ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) captured a white ball of light tumbling through space at a distance of 30 million km. Meanwhile, images from the Mars Express spacecraft are still not available, as ESA says it took images "with an exposure time of just 0.5 seconds (the maximum limit for Mars Express) compared to five seconds for ExoMars TGO." The cameras on both the orbiters were turned towards 3I/Atlas between October 1 and 7 to allow them to capture the interstellar object that has been somewhat of a mystery since being discovered on July 1.ExoMars TGO captured the series of images using its Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS). ESA said that the "slightly fuzzy white dot moving downwards near the centre of the image" is 3I/Atlas. Also Read: 3I/Atlas origin and trajectory: Interstellar object could have come from a 'conical disk' 3I/Atlas photo shows a bright coma, but no tail However, it could not gather a lot of data about it because of it was too far away. ESA said it is just like watching the Moon from Earth using your phone. “This dot is the centre of the comet, comprising its icy-rocky nucleus and its surrounding coma,” the ESA wrote. The image of 3I/Atlas shows a bright coma, as CaSSIS could not distinguish the nucleus from the coma because of the distance. The space agency also said that the nucleus was only about a kilometre wide, as shown in previous observations, and so couldn't be captured by TGO. However, the coma, measuring a few thousand kilometres across, is clearly visible in the photos. Meanwhile, the cometary tail is absent in the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) photos, which might again trigger debate about the true nature of 3I/Atlas. ESA said that the photos do not show a tail, which is typically millions of kilometres long as comets move towards the Sun. But in the case of 3I/Atlas, it is much dimmer than the coma. "We can’t see the tail in the CaSSIS images, but it may become more visible in future observations as the comet continues to heat up and release more ice," the ESA said. Nick Thomas, Principal Investigator of the CaSSIS camera, explains, “This was a very challenging observation for the instrument. The comet is around 10,000 to 100,000 times fainter than our usual target.” ESA is still working to process the photos taken by Mars Express.

The first photo of 3I/Atlas taken by a Mars orbiter has been released. It was taken by ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and shows a bright, white object tumbling through space 30 million km from Mars. ESA is still working to get more photos from its other orbiter.

3I/Atlas photo taken by Mars orbiter: ExoMars (TGO) captures bright coma but no tail

Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS has several anomalies and strange patterns, as flagged by several scientists. Its trajectory is one of them. In fact, this is what revealed that it was travelling from outside the solar system. 3I/Atlas is travelling on a straight path, which brings it near some planet. Harvard scientist Avi Loeb has repeatedly called this highly unusual. In a blog post, he has again talked about the trajectory of &nbsp;3I/ATLAS and why it is a hint that it has been sent by an intelligent alien civilisation. 3I/ATLAS passed within 29 million kilometres from Mars on October 3, and will encounter Jupiter on March 16, 2026, when it will be 54 million kilometres from the gas giant. He says that this shows a "near alignment by 4.89 degrees of the retrograde orbital plane of 3I/ATLAS with the ecliptic plane of the Earth around the Sun," and the chances of this happening are only 0.002. He also calculated the chances of it arriving right at the planets’ orbital radii, which stand at a mere 0.0002. When both components are combined, the chances of this happening together fall to less than a millionth.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-first-contact-or-existential-threat-netizens-are-convinced-nasa-and-esa-are-hiding-something-1759728703636">3I/Atlas, 'first contact or existential threat'? Why some netizens are convinced something is wrong</a> &nbsp;<h2>Loeb deduced location of these ‘extraterrestrial observers’</h2>For a natural object to take such a perfect path through our solar system seems unfathomable, a reason why Loeb thinks 3I/Atlas is not a natural space rock. He further deduced the location of these extraterrestrials who could have sent this object. The professor says that for a civilisation to make such sharp observations about our solar system, with the asteroid belt around us, they need to have advanced telescopes, besides being located at a point from where they can peer through the stars and note the position of the planets. "If the planetary system around the Sun was discovered through a transit survey of stars, then the extraterrestrial observers who could have discovered it are located within a conical disk aligned with the ecliptic plane, from where the solar system planets appear to cross the face of the Sun," he wrote.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-first-contact-or-existential-threat-netizens-are-convinced-nasa-and-esa-are-hiding-something-1759728703636">3I/Atlas photo captured from Mars: 'Perfect glowing cylinder' triggers debate</a> &nbsp;<h2>How is 3I/ATLAS traversing while dodging hundreds of thousands of space debris?</h2>He added that the observers could also observe the debris in the asteroid belt with advanced extraterrestrial telescopes, and their transits would show a characteristic orbital period of 3–6 Earth years. He has previously claimed that 3I/Atlas has a mass of 33 billion tonnes, while the biggest rocket built by humans, the Starship, weighs 6 million times less, only 5.5 thousand tons. So not only did they build such a huge rocket, but they also managed to put it on a path that brings it into our solar system without crashing into any of these objects in the asteroid belt.&nbsp; This, he says, shows that the "telescopes used by the senders of 3I/ATLAS are capable of noticing transits by rocky objects that are smaller than Earth."&nbsp;<h2>3I/Atlas anomalies</h2>Loeb has, this time, detailed the problems and anomalies with the trajectory of 3I/Atlas, adding more calculations and insights. Its speed, light and size are some of the other anomalies the scientist has noted. Data from the observations made by Mars orbiters - Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Express, TGO, MAVEN, Tianwen-1 and Hope is yet to be revealed. Meanwhile, Juice and Juno will also look at it in March. These are the only observations that will help reveal the true nature of 3I/Atlas.&nbsp;&nbsp;

3I/Atlas trajectory has been flagged as anomalous. Avi Loeb says the alignment of a 33 billion tonne object with the ecliptic plane of the Earth around the Sun, while crossing paths with Mars and Jupiter and dodging the debris in the asteroid belt, shows something is amiss.

Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS has several anomalies and strange patterns, as flagged by several scientists. Its trajectory is one of them. In fact, this is what revealed that it was travelling from outside the solar system. 3I/Atlas is travelling on a straight path, which brings it near some planet. Harvard scientist Avi Loeb has repeatedly called this highly unusual. In a blog post, he has again talked about the trajectory of 3I/ATLAS and why it is a hint that it has been sent by an intelligent alien civilisation. 3I/ATLAS passed within 29 million kilometres from Mars on October 3, and will encounter Jupiter on March 16, 2026, when it will be 54 million kilometres from the gas giant. He says that this shows a "near alignment by 4.89 degrees of the retrograde orbital plane of 3I/ATLAS with the ecliptic plane of the Earth around the Sun," and the chances of this happening are only 0.002. He also calculated the chances of it arriving right at the planets’ orbital radii, which stand at a mere 0.0002. When both components are combined, the chances of this happening together fall to less than a millionth. Also Read: 3I/Atlas, 'first contact or existential threat'? Why some netizens are convinced something is wrong Loeb deduced location of these ‘extraterrestrial observers’ For a natural object to take such a perfect path through our solar system seems unfathomable, a reason why Loeb thinks 3I/Atlas is not a natural space rock. He further deduced the location of these extraterrestrials who could have sent this object. The professor says that for a civilisation to make such sharp observations about our solar system, with the asteroid belt around us, they need to have advanced telescopes, besides being located at a point from where they can peer through the stars and note the position of the planets. "If the planetary system around the Sun was discovered through a transit survey of stars, then the extraterrestrial observers who could have discovered it are located within a conical disk aligned with the ecliptic plane, from where the solar system planets appear to cross the face of the Sun," he wrote. Also Read: 3I/Atlas photo captured from Mars: 'Perfect glowing cylinder' triggers debate How is 3I/ATLAS traversing while dodging hundreds of thousands of space debris? He added that the observers could also observe the debris in the asteroid belt with advanced extraterrestrial telescopes, and their transits would show a characteristic orbital period of 3–6 Earth years. He has previously claimed that 3I/Atlas has a mass of 33 billion tonnes, while the biggest rocket built by humans, the Starship, weighs 6 million times less, only 5.5 thousand tons. So not only did they build such a huge rocket, but they also managed to put it on a path that brings it into our solar system without crashing into any of these objects in the asteroid belt. This, he says, shows that the "telescopes used by the senders of 3I/ATLAS are capable of noticing transits by rocky objects that are smaller than Earth." 3I/Atlas anomalies Loeb has, this time, detailed the problems and anomalies with the trajectory of 3I/Atlas, adding more calculations and insights. Its speed, light and size are some of the other anomalies the scientist has noted. Data from the observations made by Mars orbiters - Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Express, TGO, MAVEN, Tianwen-1 and Hope is yet to be revealed. Meanwhile, Juice and Juno will also look at it in March. These are the only observations that will help reveal the true nature of 3I/Atlas.

A scientist has flagged in detail the anomalous trajectory of 3I/Atlas. Avi Loeb says the 33 billion tonne object is aligned in such a manner that it comes across Mars and Jupiter and passes through our solar system through the shortest route possible. How?

3I/Atlas origin and trajectory: Interstellar object could have come from a 'conical disk'

3I/ATLAS has been making headlines worldwide, but have you ever wondered why scientists named it this way?  The name tells a hidden story; it’s the third known visitor from outside our solar system, discovered by a special telescope called ATLAS. But there’s more to it than just that...

3I/ATLAS has been making headlines worldwide, but have you ever wondered why scientists named it this way? &nbsp;The name tells a hidden story; it’s the third known visitor from outside our solar system, discovered by a special telescope called ATLAS. But there’s more to it than just that...

Why scientists named the deadly comet as 3I/ATLAS?

3I/ATLAS is an interstellar object speeding through our solar system. Some wondered what if it is an alien mothership? While scientists mostly agree it is a natural object, imagining it as an alien craft raises an important question: how would humans defend Earth against such a threat?

3I/ATLAS is an interstellar object speeding through our solar system. Some wondered what if it is an alien mothership? While scientists mostly agree it is a natural object, imagining it as an alien craft raises an important question: how would humans defend Earth against such a threat?

What if 3I/ATLAS really turns out as an alien mothership? Here’s how humans could defend Earth

Is 3I/ATLAS moving at light speed? Its speed is unlike any comet before. The real story of this mysterious visitor’s velocity is closer to light speed, but what does that mean?

Is 3I/ATLAS moving at light speed? Its speed is unlike any comet before. The real story of this mysterious visitor’s velocity is closer to light speed, but what does that mean?

Is 3I/ATLAS travelling at light speed? Here’s what we know

Could 3I/ATLAS spark the first space war? This strange visitor is stirring fears and raising questions about the future of space security. What might unfold beyond Earth’s skies could change everything - are we prepared for what’s coming?

Could 3I/ATLAS spark the first space war? This strange visitor is stirring fears and raising questions about the future of space security. What might unfold beyond Earth’s skies could change everything - are we prepared for what’s coming?

Can object like 3I/ATLAS spark a space war in future?

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3I/Atlas could be 'Trojan Horse' - 40% chance it's a 'masquerading alien tech'

NASA's silence on 3I/Atlas down to 'terrestrial stupidity' - Blame govt shutdown

3I/Atlas photo taken by Mars orbiter: TGO captures bright coma but no tail