3I/Atlas China Photo Or Hoax? Leaked Pictures Of Supposed Interstellar Object Shows Mysterious Metallic Sphere

A photograph claiming to show the interstellar object 3I/Atlas has sparked global debate after surfacing on social media. On 21 October, Twitter user Dobsonian Power posted an image said to capture 3I/Atlas using a solar telescope, noting its coordinates as recorded by NASA on 20 October 2025. The photo appeared to show a bright structure with a heated front shield facing the Sun, a faint cone-like puff, and a dark nucleus, which the user claimed was a raw, unprocessed image.

An edited version of the same photograph appeared days later on Reddit, accompanied by uncertainty about its authenticity. The user who posted it admitted having no knowledge of its source or legitimacy. This confusion gave rise to online speculation about whether the so-called 'metallic sphere' was a real interstellar body or an altered image.

Despite the online buzz, no independent scientific body has confirmed the validity of the Reddit photographs. However, China's official release of 3I/Atlas imagery soon after lent credibility to the object's existence, if not to the original viral photo itself.

China Releases First Verified Image Of 3I/Atlas

China's Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter became the first spacecraft to capture and release a verified close-range image of 3I/Atlas, ahead of NASA and other agencies. The China National Space Agency (CNSA) confirmed that the image revealed a bright central nucleus surrounded by a hazy cloud of dust and gas, features typical of a comet. This marks a milestone in astronomy, as 3I/Atlas is only the third confirmed interstellar object ever detected.

The Tianwen-1 orbiter photographed the object from roughly 30 million kilometres away, using a high-resolution camera designed originally for mapping the Martian surface. CNSA noted that the target was between 10,000 and 100,000 times dimmer than surfaces on Mars, posing an immense technical challenge. The agency's statement emphasised that the image displays the distinctive signs of a comet rather than artificial material, in contrast to online claims of a metallic structure.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope also observed 3I/Atlas, recording a teardrop-shaped cloud trailing from its icy core. Early size estimates suggested the nucleus could measure up to 5.6 kilometres in diameter, though NASA scientists later indicated that it might be smaller, explaining its faint appearance and unstable orbit.

How Tianwen-1 Captured The Image

Planning for the Tianwen-1 observation began in early September 2025. The science team had to modify the orbiter's tracking algorithms to account for 3I/Atlas's fast and unpredictable motion. Engineers also refined exposure techniques to lock onto the dim object as it passed across the Martian sky.

The image, though distant, is expected to support detailed studies of the object's structure and trajectory. According to CNSA, the data will be used to analyse how interstellar objects form in other planetary systems before being expelled into open space. This aligns with China's growing ambitions in planetary science and exploration, with Tianwen-1 already responsible for landing a rover on Mars.

Tianwen-2, China's upcoming mission, is expected to return samples from a near-Earth asteroid in 2026, advancing the nation's efforts in deep-space research and material analysis. Each mission strengthens China's bid to match or surpass traditional space powers in capturing rare astronomical phenomena.

Interstellar Origins And Continuing Debate

3I/Atlas travels on a hyperbolic path, confirming its entry into the solar system from interstellar space. Only two other such objects have ever been recorded: 1I/'Oumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019. Scientists regard these encounters as valuable opportunities to study the composition and behaviour of materials formed around other stars.

Some researchers, including Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, have suggested that the object's motion exhibits unusual characteristics, raising speculation about a non-natural origin. NASA's lead scientist for small solar system bodies, however, has dismissed this view, maintaining that 3I/Atlas behaves in accordance with known comet dynamics.