Is This Proof of 3I/ATLAS? Shocking Space Debris Discovery in Australia Fuels Viral Alien Theories

The discovery of an unexpected piece of space debris in Australia has ignited a firestorm of speculation, fuelling viral theories that it could be evidence of the long-sought-after asteroid 3I/ATLAS.

Is this the definitive proof scientists and enthusiasts have been waiting for, or is there a simpler explanation for the stunning object found down under?

A Fiery Finding in the Australian Outback

What seems to be stray space material has been found in the Australian countryside, but there is no need to worry; it's not the opening scene of an extraterrestrial invasion or a story from a futuristic film.

Personnel at a mine site alerted emergency services on Saturday, 18 October at approximately 2 p.m. local time, reporting that they had found something on fire beside an isolated service track.

Experts Pinpoint the Space Debris

The Western Australia Police Force stated that they suspect the item is space debris, known more generally as 'space junk', which has returned through the atmosphere.

A clip shared on the police force's Facebook account features the scorched object resting on the Earth while officers wearing protective gear conducted their examination.

In a Facebook post, the Western Australia Police Force revealed that their initial check indicated the object was made of carbon fibre. They noted that it appeared to be a composite-wrapped pressure vessel or a rocket tank, which is typical for aerospace components.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has furthermore ruled out the possibility that the object originated from a commercial plane.

Identifying the Jielong 3 Culprit

Space analyst Marco Langbroek suggested in a blog post on Monday (20 October) that the object resembles a composite overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV). It is worth noting that COPVs are designed to store high-pressure gases and liquids within rockets and often manage to endure re-entry into the planet's atmosphere.

'It reportedly was burning when found, which is unusual and against expectations for space debris,' Langbroek wrote in his Monday post. He added that this points towards a very recent strike, provided it is actually space junk.

Langbroek believes this is likely orbital debris and has named a very strong possible source: the top section of a Chinese Jielong 3 (or Smart Dragon 3) rocket, which re-entered the atmosphere on 18 October.

Langbroek, an expert in astrodynamics and space missions at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, wrote: 'It could actually be (a significant part of) the upper stage itself, given the large size that the photos suggest (and also given that the Jielong 3 upper stage is reportedly a solid fuel stage).'

Langbroek carefully examined several possible space objects that might be related to the refuse. He wrote that 'Of these, only one was in an orbit that would match passing close to Newman in the early hours of 18 October, the Chinese Jielong 3 stage in a 97.6 degree inclined polar orbit.'

The stage, he noted, approached from the north-northeast before moving toward the south-southwest. While 'Not much information is known about the Jielong 3 components in terms of size and mass', Langbroek emphasised that this item is a strong possibility for the origin of the object found in the Outback.

Solar Glare, Not Alien Hiding

While the debris likely has a terrestrial origin, the internet's fascination with a more profound mystery continues. A user known as Skywatch Signal has added to the speculation, drawing connections between the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS and a solar event — the 21 October CME.

'No, 3I/ATLAS isn't on the other side of the Sun as you may have heard on Youtube by self proclaimed astrophysicists', Skywatch Signal wrote in an X post. The X user explained that the object is experiencing solar conjunction, meaning it sits nearly in a straight line with the Sun and Earth, rather than being concealed in some opposite, remote orbit.

This means the problem is more about the glare and less about it being hidden away. Skywatch Signal also addressed the CME, noting that the 21 October flare-up came from the Sun's backside, and its direction of travel was away from the Earth-Sun alignment.

Thus, even with ATLAS near conjunction, it is clear of the explosion's route, and not positioned directly ahead of it, regardless of what some YouTube sources may be stating.

The user clarified that if a full halo CME had erupted towards Earth, both the planet and ATLAS would have been caught within the same flow. However, this particular eruption was directional, meaning it was pointed in the opposite direction and was not a halo type.

'So no, the CME won't hit ATLAS, and no, ATLAS isn't hiding behind the Sun, it's simply passing near the line of sight, hence why Dobsonian Power (Tiago) can still find it,' Skywatch Signal noted. 'When it re-emerges in early November, we'll know exactly how it handled solar proximity.'