A mysterious object from another star system has just performed the unthinkable. According to a NASA engineer, the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS executed a non-gravitational manoeuvre as it passed behind the Sun. This unexpected movement, coupled with a strange colour change, has led a prominent scientist to suggest a startling possibility: we may be witnessing the “technological signature” of an artificial object.
What Mysterious Move Did 3I/ATLAS Make?
The revelation comes from Harvard scientist Avi Loeb, who reported findings from Davide Farnocchia, a navigation engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The data shows that 3I/ATLAS exhibited a radial acceleration away from the Sun of 135 kilometres per day squared. It also showed a transverse acceleration of 60 kilometres per day squared. This is a jolting discovery because comets do not suddenly move in this fashion on their own. This non-gravitational acceleration was measured when the comet was at its closest point to the Sun, a distance of 1.36 times the separation between the Earth and the Sun.
Why Did the Comet Change Colour?
The strange behaviour was not limited to its movement. While hidden in the Sun’s glare, 3I/ATLAS also changed colour. It turned a bright blue instead of the usual red that is typical for comets, where sunlight scatters off dust particles. Loeb claims that the non-gravitational acceleration and the change in colour are directly related. He suggests that the acceleration could be the result of an internal mechanism, writing, “The non-gravitational acceleration might be the technological signature of an internal engine.” This, he argues, could also explain why the comet appeared bluer than the Sun itself.
How Else Has the Comet Behaved Strangely?
Adding to the list of anomalies, the comet also underwent a dramatic and rapid brightening as it swung around t he Sun. On October 28, researchers posted a study noting this intense brightening ahead of its closest solar approach. Amateur astronomer Worachate Boonplod spotted the comet in satellite images, noting its brightness was comparable to nearby stars. Loeb identifies this as the ninth peculiar anomaly displayed by this interstellar visitor, deepening the mystery surrounding its true nature.
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What Happens Next with 3I/ATLAS?
The picture of what 3I/ATLAS truly is should become clearer in the coming months. Loeb predicts that the massive mass loss required for such acceleration would be detectable as a large plume of gas when the comet re-emerges. When it reappears, scientists from all across the world will be closely monitoring it, especially on December 19, 2025, when it is closest to Earth. This event will provide an important chance to examine the object and possibly discover the mysteries underlying its mysterious behavior.
