Prepare to dive into the fascinating world of 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar object that's got astronomers and scientists buzzing with excitement and intrigue!
The Mystery Unveiled
Fresh data from the Minor Planet Center and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has just revealed new insights into 3I/ATLAS, following its perihelion passage on October 29, 2025. The data, covering the period between October 31 and November 4, has unveiled some intriguing findings.
A Bright Enigma
When compared to previous observations, 3I/ATLAS appears to have brightened significantly, by a factor of approximately 5 in the Green-band, which is centered at a wavelength of 0.464 micrometers. This brightening is a key aspect of the object's behavior and has scientists curious about its nature.
Acceleration and Mass Loss
The non-gravitational acceleration of 3I/ATLAS has been a subject of interest. The latest data shows a reduction in this acceleration, which is an intriguing development. Based on the principle of momentum conservation, it's suggested that 3I/ATLAS must have lost a measurable fraction of its mass to gain this acceleration through the rocket effect. The calculations indicate that the object may have lost a significant portion of its mass, potentially more than 13%, during its perihelion passage.
Natural vs. Technological
Here's where it gets controversial: the brightening and blue color of 3I/ATLAS near perihelion could be a signature of cometary mass loss and emission, or it could indicate the presence of a hot engine with a smaller mass loss. This contrast presents a unique opportunity to test the nature of 3I/ATLAS in the coming weeks.
If it's a natural comet, we should expect to see a massive cloud of gas surrounding 3I/ATLAS, carrying a substantial portion of its original mass. However, if it's not, then the recent non-gravitational acceleration must have a different cause, perhaps a technological one.
Anomalies and Alignments
3I/ATLAS has displayed several anomalies that challenge our understanding of interstellar objects. These include its retrograde trajectory, which is aligned with the ecliptic plane of the planets around the Sun with a low likelihood of occurrence. Additionally, it displayed a sunward jet during July and August 2025, which is not an optical illusion, unlike familiar comets. Its nucleus is significantly more massive than other known interstellar objects, and its arrival time was finely tuned to bring it close to Mars, Venus, and Jupiter, making it unobservable from Earth at perihelion.
Furthermore, its gas plume composition is unusual, containing more nickel than iron and a nickel to cyanide ratio that is vastly different from known comets. It also shows extreme negative polarization, a feature unprecedented for known comets, and its arrival direction aligns with the famous "Wow! Signal" with a low probability.
The Email from Australia
In an email received from Dr. Sukanto Bhattacharya at Deakin University in Australia, a strong alignment with Professor Avi Loeb's position on the current state of scientific thought is expressed. Dr. Bhattacharya, who studies soft computing applications in managerial decision-making, highlights the refreshing boldness of Professor Loeb's approach to rising above the imposed walls within scientific thinking. He draws an analogy between today's scientific power lobbies and the church of the Middle Ages, expressing concern over the potential persecution of dissenting ideas in science.
Dr. Bhattacharya admires Professor Loeb's ability to gracefully rebut attacks and intellectual persecution, and expresses a desire to engage in a dialogue on the current state of science and its potential impact on humanity's future.
This email serves as a testament to the impact and reach of Professor Loeb's work, and the broader implications of the 3I/ATLAS mystery.
