A recent analysis by Professor Avi Loeb of Harvard University has raised intriguing questions about the comet 3I/ATLAS, suggesting that its unusual acceleration may hint at an alien technological signature. This discussion follows the comet”s perihelion, which occurred on October 29 and 30, when the comet made its closest approach to the Sun.
Loeb has pointed out several anomalies in the comet”s trajectory, expressing concerns about its peculiar behavior, which deviates from what is typically expected of natural comets. Notably, the comet exhibited signs of non-gravitational acceleration at a distance of 1.36 times the Earth-Sun separation, which is approximately 203 million kilometers.
The non-gravitational acceleration was documented by Davide Farnoccia, a navigation engineer at NASA“s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Farnoccia”s report indicated that this acceleration displayed two components along the orbital plane of 3I/ATLAS, marking a significant observation.
Loeb speculated that this acceleration could indicate the presence of a technological engine within the comet. He also noted that the comet”s unusual blue coloration, which contrasts with the expected reddish hue of natural comets, adds to the list of anomalies. Typically, dust on a comet”s surface scatters sunlight in a way that results in a redder appearance.
Despite skepticism from some in the scientific community, Loeb remains hopeful about future observations of 3I/ATLAS. He emphasized that on December 19, 2025, the comet will be positioned closest to Earth, at a distance of 269 million kilometers, providing an excellent opportunity for ground-based telescopes, as well as the Hubble and Webb space telescopes, to study it more closely.
This ongoing investigation into 3I/ATLAS not only raises the possibility of extraterrestrial technology but also highlights the importance of continued observation and research into interstellar objects.
