A mysterious visitor from beyond our solar system is reaching a critical point in its journey, and a prominent Harvard physicist is suggesting its behavior could reveal whether it’s a simple comet or something far more extraordinary. The object, known as 3I/ATLAS, is making its closest approach to the Sun, an event that scientists like Professor Avi Loeb believe could unmask its true nature.
Discovered in July by a NASA telescope in Chile, 3I/ATLAS is only the third confirmed interstellar object ever detected, following the famous ‘Oumuamua in 2017 and Comet Borisov in 2019. What sets this event apart is the timing of its perihelion—the point of its closest solar approach—which occurs just days before Halloween, adding a layer of cosmic drama to its passage.
Professor Loeb, who has long entertained the possibility that some interstellar objects could be of artificial origin, outlined two potential scenarios. If 3I/ATLAS is a natural comet, the intense heat from the Sun could cause it to break apart, creating a bright, dusty plume as its ices vaporize. However, Loeb also posits a more speculative theory: if the object is technologically manufactured, it might use this gravitational slingshot to maneuver or even release smaller “mini-probes” into the solar system.
While major space organizations maintain that 3I/ATLAS is a harmless comet, Loeb and his team are preparing to monitor the situation closely. The object will make its closest approach to Earth in December, and Loeb has directed his research team to scan for any anomalous activity in our atmosphere in the coming months. Whether it’s a rocky wanderer or an engineered craft, its journey past the Sun is a pivotal moment in our observation of this enigmatic traveler.
