NASA has explained the trajectory of a mysterious space object that's had scientists scratching their heads.
3I/ATLAS was first spotted hurtling towards our solar system back in July, by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope at Río Hurtado, Chile.
Amazingly, it’s only the third known object to originate from interstellar space - meaning it came from beyond our own Solar System.
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Scientists came to this conclusion ultimately because the object was traveling too fast to be bound by the Sun's gravity, at more than 41 miles per second.
The anomaly was previously described as ‘possibly hostile’ amid fears it could wreak havoc on planet Earth.
And as astronomers continue to investigate its properties, one scientist in particular is entertaining the idea of the object being something more.
Harvard physicist Avi Loeb has questioned whether the unusual object is natural at all.
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Why 3I/ATLAS might not be 'natural'
In a recent paper, he argued the object is missing key features of a typical comet - most notably, a visible tail and gas emissions.
He also noted its unusually neat trajectory through the Solar System, suggesting it could be too perfect to be random.
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Using his self-created 'Loeb Scale' - a ranking from 0 (definitely natural) to 10 (definitely engineered) - he gave the object a 6, hinting it may be artificial in origin. In a blog post, Loeb even floated the possibility that it could be a mothership releasing probes designed to reach Earth.
Yet NASA - and other experts - do not share his concerns and maintain 3I/ATLAS is simply an interstellar comet, thought to be around 7 miles (11.2 kilometers) wide. The US space agency has been tracking its path and says the object poses no threat to Earth.
It also revealed when we can expect the comet to pass the Sun - and where it's headed next.
Where is 3I/ATLAS going?
Currently, the object sits 416 million miles (670 million km) from the Sun.
NASA says it will reach its closest point on Thursday, October 30 - conveniently, the day before Halloween. Coincidence? Probably...
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Even then, it’ll still be 130 million miles (210 million km) from the Sun, just within Mars’ orbit.
NASA says 3I/ATLAS should remain visible to ground-based telescopes through September. After that, it’ll pass too close to the Sun to observe.
Assuming no dramatic course changes, it’s expected to reappear in early December, offering another brief window for observations.
So, what happens next?
Not much. NASA says 3I/ATLAS is just passing through, and will eventually continue its journey into interstellar space - never to be seen again. Unless, of course, Loeb is right.
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He’s suggested that if the object is some kind of engineered craft, it could reach Earth between November 21 and December 5.
Mark your calendars. Prepare your bunkers. Still, even Loeb admits the outcome might not be doom and gloom.
“It may come to save us or destroy us,” he said. “We’d better be ready for both options - and check whether all interstellar objects are rocks.”
Only time will tell...
Ellie Kemp