Edith Hejberg
Some researchers suspect this visitor might be far more complex, and potentially artificial.
An object from beyond our solar system, dubbed 3I/ATLAS, is making a rare and intriguing appearance.
It’s only the third known interstellar object ever observed passing through our cosmic neighborhood, and it’s raising eyebrows in the scientific community.
Is It Just a Comet?
Most astronomers believe 3I/ATLAS is an interstellar comet, a chunk of ice and rock that’s been travelling for eons.
But not everyone agrees. Some researchers suspect this visitor might be far more complex, and potentially artificial.
A Curious Glow
Images captured by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope show 3I/ATLAS shining with unusual brightness.
Harvard professor Avi Loeb suggests the light it reflects doesn’t quite match up with natural expectations, hinting at something stranger.
A 20-Kilometre Mirror in Space?
Loeb proposes that the object could have a reflective surface approximately 20 kilometers wide.
That theory alone sets it apart from ordinary comets, suggesting the possibility of engineered materials.
Could It Be Alien?
The Harvard professor hasn’t ruled out the idea that 3I/ATLAS might be an alien spacecraft, potentially powered by nuclear energy.
He theorizes the object could be generating its own light, which might explain its baffling brightness.
The Path Looks… Strategic?
Although 3I/ATLAS won’t come close to Earth, Loeb has mused that its trajectory might be deliberately avoiding our planet.
He speculates this could be to prevent ground-based telescopes from getting a closer look.
Hostile, or Just Curious?
Loeb admits that if the object is an alien vessel, it could be “potentially hostile.”
Still, he leans toward the more conventional explanation: that it’s a natural interstellar traveler with no agenda. But, as he says, it could be more.
NASA Isn’t Convinced
NASA maintains that 3I/ATLAS is most likely a comet.
Their estimates suggest it will pass about 170 million miles from Earth and get as close as 130 million miles to the sun by late October far enough to be safe, but close enough for study.
Not a Close Encounter
Whatever it is, the object won’t be crashing into Earth. Scientists assure us that it’s on a safe trajectory.
That said, the mysterious interstellar object will disappear behind the sun in coming months and reappear in December.
Natural or Not, It’s One to Watch
While most experts see 3I/ATLAS as a fascinating but natural object, one outspoken voice continues to raise the alien hypothesis.
Whether it’s a comet or something else entirely, it’s a cosmic mystery worth watching.
