The interstellar object known as 3I/ATLAS is currently the subject of speculation as it temporarily hides behind the sun, prompting some to suggest it may be an alien spacecraft. However, this assertion lacks merit and is largely unfounded, as it makes little sense for a spacecraft to obscure itself for a brief period when it was visible previously and will be again.
As noted by astronomers, if 3I/ATLAS were indeed an alien ship, it would have done an exceptional job of disguising itself as a comet. The ongoing discussions surrounding this object, detected in July by the vigilant planetary-defense system from which it derives its name, are both amusing and vexing. The evidence clearly indicates that 3I/ATLAS is a comet.
Key characteristics support this classification: it possesses a coma, a cloud of vaporized ices, and exhibits a dazzling tail. Its trajectory aligns with that of an icy body entering the solar system from interstellar space. The reason for its current “hiding” behind the sun is that it has just reached perihelion, the point in its orbit closest to the sun. Every celestial body traveling through space, including planets, comets, and asteroids, experiences perihelion, and 3I/ATLAS happens to be positioned behind the sun from our perspective.
While some peculiar features of 3I/ATLAS have piqued the interest of astronomers, such as its higher carbon dioxide ice content compared to water ice, these do not support the notion of it being a spacecraft. The presence of nickel and iron within it—metals commonly associated with spacecraft—does not indicate that it is anything other than a comet; such materials have been observed in the cores of comets within our own solar system.
3I/ATLAS also displayed a dusty tail that, at one point, appeared to point towards the sun rather than away from it. This led to speculation that it might be a spaceship using thrusters to decelerate. However, its trajectory is consistent with that of an interstellar comet rather than a spacecraft attempting to halt its journey.
As a relatively new addition to the small group of interstellar objects observed, 3I/ATLAS and its unusual features are expected. The first known interstellar object, “Oumuamua, displayed even stranger characteristics, including a rapid acceleration as it exited the solar system. Despite its oddities, it was still categorized as a comet-like body.
Both 2I/Borisov and 3I/ATLAS exhibit unique traits, but to label them as spacecraft would be akin to calling ice cubes in a freezer pineapples. While many, including myself, eagerly anticipate the discovery of extraterrestrial life, suggesting that 3I/ATLAS is an alien vehicle is not only unfounded but also dangerous in an age rife with misinformation.
