3I/ATLAS: NASA Says It's Comet but Avi Loeb Disagrees As Newly-Discovered Anomaly Suggests Alien Tech
Harvard Scientist highlights 'extraordinary' anomaly that challenge NASA's 'comet' classification
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has officially classified the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS as a comet, citing spectral data that indicates standard glacial and dust activity. However, the assessment is being contested by Harvard physicist Avi Loeb, who claims to have identified a trajectory alignment with Jupiter that is statistically improbable for a natural body.
NASA's Firm Stance on Comet Claim
NASA identifies classic comet features such as a visible coma, a gas-emitting tail, and spectral data indicating water activity to classify 3I/ATLAS. For the agency, these characteristics leave little room for any unnatural or alien explanations.
The images and data collected from multiple observatories strengthen the consensus regarding the nature of the interstellar visitor. Based on telescopic data, the object also appears surrounded by dust and gas that is consistent with cometary activity.
Additionally, alongside findings showing that carbon dioxide makes up most of the surrounding material, the agency views 3I/ATLAS as unusual but insists it is still well within the boundaries of natural celestial bodies.
The '13th Anomaly' Hypothesis
Despite the official classification, Harvard professor and physicist Avi Loeb insists the object is far too different to be considered an ordinary comet. He argues the object exhibits a series of anomalies–and he has now identified a striking 13th anomaly–that simply cannot be explained by natural interpretations.
In his latest post on Medium, Loeb unveiled what he calls an 'extraordinary' new anomaly. He pointed out unusual features, including 3I/ATLAS's incredibly precise trajectory, its unexpected non-gravitational acceleration and jet activity that do not behave like typical comet outgassing. To Loeb, these peculiarities suggest the object might be engineered rather than naturally formed.
Orbital Alignment With Jupiter
Loeb's latest concern is what he dubs the 13th anomaly—a coincidence he believes looks far more like intentional navigation than random chance. Orbital models show that 3I/ATLAS is set to pass almost precisely along the edge of Jupiter's Hill sphere, the zone where Jupiter's gravity overtakes the Sun's.
In his analysis, the professor stated the object's closest approach–roughly 53.445 million kilometres–matches Jupiter's gravitational boundary with remarkable precision. He notes that this match is accurate within 0.06 million kilometres, a level of alignment he believes is statistically improbable if random.
Loeb further suggests that if the object used tiny jets like thrusters to adjust its trajectory, it could have deliberately targeted this flyby. In a bold hypothesis, he even speculates that 3I/ATLAS might be designed to deploy smaller craft into stable orbits around Jupiter's Lagrange points—ideal parking zones for long-term observation.
'If 3I/ATLAS is technological in origin, it might have fine-tuned its trajectory with the help of thrusters to arrive at Jupiter's Hill radius,' he wrote in the blog post. 'The optimal time for any such maneuver is close to perihelion when a spacecraft can take advantage of the gravitational assist from the Sun.'
He added, 'If 3I/ATLAS were to deposit devices within the Hill sphere of Jupiter on March 16, 2026, these devices would need to fire their engines to cancel out the high speed of 3I/ATLAS relative to Jupiter, which is 65.9 kilometers per second.'
Is 3I/ATLAS a Mothership or Just a Comet?
Loeb stated that if the interstellar object is actually a 'mothership' that is designed to drop off technological devices around Jupiter, the 3I/ATLAS must enter Jupiter's Hill radius to get closer. This is the region where Jupiter's gravity is stronger than the Sun's inside this zone, Jupiter can hold onto slow-moving objects without the Sun pulling them away.
He explained the best places to leave such devices would be Jupiter's L1 and L2 Lagrange points, which sit at the edge of the Hill radius. These points are naturally stable, meaning satellites placed there need very little fuel or correction to stay in position.
Loeb is not asserting that 3I/ATLAS is definitely alien technology but believes the evidence warrants open-minded inquiry and the unusual data should not be dismissed in favour of explanations that feel 'comfortable.'
'If we find technological satellites of Jupiter that we did not send, it would imply that Jupiter is of interest to an extraterrestrial civilization,' the Harvard professor said. 'Not finding similar gadgets near Earth might be disappointing because it would suggest that our interstellar guest is not interested in us.'
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