Alien Spacecraft Or Cosmic Visitor? 24 KM Long Mysterious Object 3I/ATLAS Speeds Toward Earth At 135,000 MPH

India.com

3 days ago

Something strange is racing toward us from the vast darkness beyond our solar system, and it's moving at a jaw-dropping speed of 135,000 miles per hour. Discovered on July 1, the object, now named 3I/ATLAS, has already sparked an intense debate among scientists: Is it just a comet, or could it be an alien spacecraft?
NASA and researchers across the globe are tracking this high-speed interstellar traveler, which is expected to swing by the inner solar system later this year. But not everyone agrees on what it actually is, or where it really came from.
What Exactly Is 3I/ATLAS?
Spotted zooming through the outer solar system earlier this month, 3I/ATLAS is only the third known interstellar object to ever enter our cosmic neighborhood, after 1I/ʻOumuamua (2017) and 2I/Borisov (2019).
What makes it unique?
1. It's traveling on a highly elliptical orbit, indicating it came from beyond the gravitational grip of our sun.
2. At its closest approach on October 30, it will pass 130 million miles from the sun and 150 million miles from Earth. So no, it's not a threat.
But its speed, trajectory, and peculiar behavior have caught the attention of astronomers and cosmic sleuths alike.
Harvard Professor Thinks It Might Not Be Natural
Enter Professor Avi Loeb, a Harvard physicist and outspoken advocate of not ruling out alien tech too quickly. According to Loeb, 3I/ATLAS might not be a regular comet at all, but a possible spacecraft sent by an advanced extraterrestrial civilization.
Loeb argues that if it's not made of ice (as comets are), it would be nearly impossible for it to make its current solar-bound journey naturally. He draws comparisons to Arthur C Clarke's sci-fi classic 'Rendezvous with Rama,' where a mysterious object entering the solar system is revealed to be a massive alien ship.
'It could be following a programmed path,' Loeb suggested, challenging the notion that every fast-moving object in space is just a rock or a frozen snowball.
NASA and ESA: It's Probably a Giant Comet
Not everyone's buying the alien angle. Both NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) suggest 3I/ATLAS is most likely an interstellar comet.
Here's their reasoning:
1. As it gets closer to the sun, heat will cause any ice on it to vaporise, creating a glowing tail of dust and gas.
2. This evaporation reflects sunlight, making the object appear bright and bigger than it actually is.
Still, there's a twist: scientists can't measure its true size directly because it's too far away. Based on the light it reflects, they estimate it could be 20 to 24 kilometers long, much larger than ʻOumuamua, which was only about 100 meters.
Experts Still Unsure What We're Dealing With
While the comet theory seems more grounded, Loeb and others remain cautious. The object's size, shape, and seemingly deliberate movement are unusual—especially for something not bound by gravity within our solar system.
Loeb emphasised that objects this large rarely travel this close to the sun from beyond the Milky Way. That alone, he says, is worth more scrutiny.
So, is 3I/ATLAS just a massive comet playing cosmic tourist, or a messenger from civilizations unknown? The world will be watching as it makes its historic flyby in October.
What's Next?
Scientists across the globe will continue to observe 3I/ATLAS over the coming months as it nears its closest point to the sun. High-powered telescopes will track its brightness, trajectory, and tail formation, if any.
Whether it turns out to be a natural wonder or something we've never seen before, one thing's clear: we're just beginning to understand what's out there.
FAQs
1. Is 3I/ATLAS dangerous to Earth?
No. It will stay 150 million miles away, far beyond any threat range.
2. Is 3I/ATLAS an alien spaceship?
Some scientists like Avi Loeb think it could be, but there's no concrete proof yet.
3. How fast is it moving?
It's traveling at around 135,000 mph, faster than most natural solar system objects.
4. When will it reach its closest point?
October 30, 2025, near the sun.
5. How big is it?
Estimated to be 20–24 km long, much larger than previous interstellar objects like ʻOumuamua.