Blog

Mysterious Visitor Appears in the Cosmos

Humanity's curiosity about extraterrestrial life has never ceased. Recently, a mysterious celestial body designated 3I/ATLAS entered our solar system, once again thrusting this age-old question into the spotlight: Does alien technology truly exist? Scientists speculate its age could reach billions of years, predating the formation of our solar system by far.

The story begins on July 1, 2025. The ATLAS survey telescope in Chile, scanning the vast cosmos as usual, suddenly detected a celestial body moving at an extraordinary speed. Scientists swiftly acted, precisely calculating its trajectory and were astonished to discover its orbit followed a hyperbolic path. This indicated it was not bound by the Sun's gravity but originated from distant interstellar space beyond our solar system. Soon after, the International Astronomical Union officially designated it as “3I/ATLAS.”

Basic Information on 3I/ATLAS

Unique Identity and Trajectory

As the third interstellar object discovered by humanity, 3I/ATLAS's designation highlights its unique identity as an “interstellar visitor.” The letter “I” stands for “Interstellar,” confirming its origin beyond our solar system; the number ‘3’ indicates it is the third such object confirmed; “ATLAS” is the name of the Chilean observatory that discovered it - the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System.

Its trajectory follows a hyperbolic path with an eccentricity of 6.23 - a stark departure from the elliptical or near-parabolic orbits typical of solar system bodies. Originating from distant interstellar space, it entered our solar system from the direction of Sagittarius at over 60 kilometers per second, far exceeding the typical speed of comets.

Its interstellar journey features several critical milestones: Discovered in early July 2025 while crossing Jupiter's orbit; Expected to reach perihelion on October 29, when it will approach within approximately 200 million kilometers of the Sun - positioned between Mars' and Earth's orbits - reaching a speed of roughly 68 kilometers per second before gradually receding from the Sun; Around December 19, it will reach its closest approach to Earth at a distance of approximately 270 million kilometers, posing no threat to our planet. In March 2026, it will fly past Jupiter's orbit before ultimately departing the solar system entirely, venturing once more into the vastness of interstellar space.

Exceptional Physical Characteristics

Preliminary observations reveal 3I/ATLAS exhibits classic cometary traits: a cold nucleus, a bright coma, and a tail composed of gas and dust, leading to its classification as a comet.

Compared to previously discovered interstellar objects 1I/Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov, 3I/ATLAS is a “big guy.” Initially, scientists estimated its diameter to be approximately 10–20 kilometers, while 'Oumuamua measured only a few hundred meters. If 3I/ATLAS is ultimately confirmed to fall within this diameter range, its mass could be 10 million times greater than that of 'Oumuamua. Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb further suggested that 3I/ATLAS could exceed 33 billion tons in mass, with a core diameter of at least 5 kilometers, estimated between 5 and 11 kilometers.

Regarding its composition, numerous speculations and uncertainties remain. Through observational analysis, astronomers believe it primarily consists of volatile icy materials and dust - common constituents of comets. As it approaches the Sun, these icy materials sublimate, releasing gases and dust to form a coma and tail. However, it exhibits unique characteristics: infrared spectral data from the James Webb Space Telescope reveal that the coma of 3I/ATLAS is almost entirely dominated by carbon dioxide, a composition extremely rare among known comets. The research team speculates this may relate to its formation environment: either it originated near the “carbon dioxide ice line” or its icy body was long exposed to intense radiation, resulting in this unusual chemical signature.

Is 3I/ATLAS a Natural Phenomenon or Alien Technology?

As observations of 3I/ATLAS deepen, the debate over whether it is a natural comet or extraterrestrial technology grows increasingly heated.Comets are not uncommon, and most follow a predictable pattern: as they approach the Sun, ice sublimates, and the ejected gas and dust form a tail that extends away from the Sun under the influence of the solar wind. However, the interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS has completely shattered this “common knowledge,” plunging the scientific community into unprecedented debate.

In recent weeks, telescopes worldwide have captured astonishing images: Comet 3I/ATLAS's nucleus is ejecting a gas and dust stream stretching several kilometers long - not away from the Sun, but toward it. This “retrograde comet tail” phenomenon has no precedent in the known history of comet observations.

Conventional wisdom dictates that comets gradually disintegrate as they approach the Sun, releasing gases like water vapor and carbon dioxide, and potentially shattering into countless fragments. Yet 3I/ATLAS defies these expectations. Two intensely debated theories currently explain this phenomenon: ① 3I/ATLAS ejects extremely heavy particles that resist being pushed away by the solar wind; ② It is not a “traditional comet” at all, but rather an unknown technological artifact.

NASA continues to maintain that 3I/ATLAS is an ordinary interstellar comet. Yet mounting observational evidence suggests its behavior defies conventional physical models.

Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb repeatedly emphasizes that theoretical calculations suggest if such large interstellar objects formed naturally, we should have discovered thousands of much smaller ones before 3I/Atlas. Yet humanity has only found three. This “anomalous sequence” prompts his question: Could 3I/Atlas be anything but an ordinary natural object? Could it even be a “mothership” crafted by a highly advanced civilization?

This object is not only exceptionally massive, but its trajectory, velocity, and gaseous structure defy the characteristics of known natural celestial bodies. Loeb suggests it might not be an ordinary rock, but rather a technological artifact released by an extraterrestrial civilization - perhaps a probe, or some form of signal beyond our comprehension.

Further fueling debate is the “Dark Forest Theory” mentioned by Loeb - a hypothesis popular in science fiction circles: the universe may teem with civilizations, yet all maintain silence, as revealing themselves could trigger catastrophic conflict. If 3I/ATLAS truly is some form of intelligent signal, have we already been targeted, observed, or even evaluated?

Of course, not all scientists agree with Loeb's perspective. Some believe this celestial body is likely just a primordial object ejected by the gravity of a distant galaxy, with its peculiarity being mere coincidence. Even so, the appearance of 3I/ATLAS still offers crucial clues for studying interstellar matter and cosmic evolution.

Over the coming months, major observatories worldwide will maintain continuous monitoring, with its perihelion on October 29th being a critical observation window. As 3I/ATLAS approaches perihelion, it will be subjected to intense solar radiation and gravitational forces, potentially revealing further unusual phenomena. Astronomers hope that observations during this pivotal moment will yield more information to unravel the mystery of its identity.

Gazing at the stars, awaiting answers

In the days ahead, we anticipate that ongoing monitoring by major observatories worldwide will yield further insights into 3I/ATLAS. Whether it ultimately proves to be a natural phenomenon or some unimaginable entity, 3I/ATLAS has already become one of the most closely watched astronomical events of the century.