Astronomers have recently made a thrilling discovery: an interstellar object named 3I/ATLAS, marking only the third instance of such an observation.
This celestial body is traveling towards the center of our solar system on an extraordinary trajectory at a remarkable velocity.
Initial assessments suggest that 3I/ATLAS could be nearly as old as the Milky Way galaxy itself, potentially billions of years older than our Sun.
As the scientific community begins to analyze this unusual object, speculation is rife regarding its nature and origins.
Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, known for his provocative theories about extraterrestrial life, has entered the discussion regarding 3I/ATLAS.
Loeb, who has previously theorized that ‘Oumuamua, the second interstellar object discovered, might have originated from an advanced extraterrestrial civilization, shared his insights in a blog post on Medium.
He emphasized the need for further observations to determine whether 3I/ATLAS is a comet or an asteroid.
However, he did not dismiss the intriguing possibility that it might have been intentionally directed towards our solar system.
This hypothesis has already sparked controversy, particularly after Loeb accused Wikipedia and the journal RNAAS of removing his contributions discussing the possibility of extraterrestrial probes.
Avi Loeb has not shied away from the limelight, maintaining his stance that ‘Oumuamua could be a sign of alien technology.
His research has led him to search for pieces of a purported alien spacecraft, linked to a three-foot interstellar meteor that crashed near Papua New Guinea in 2014.
Loeb’s recent comments about 3I/ATLAS align closely with his existing viewpoints on interstellar objects.
He also announced the publication of a new paper addressing the unusual characteristics of 3I/ATLAS.
Based on observations of its ‘anomalously bright’ nature, he estimates that the interstellar object is approximately 12.4 miles in diameter.
This size is significantly larger than ‘Oumuamua, which measured between 330 and 1,300 feet long.
However, these size calculations have raised numerous questions.
Loeb noted that estimating 3I/ATLAS’ size of 12.4 miles doesn’t align with our understanding of interstellar asteroids, especially considering that ‘Oumuamua was about 200 times smaller.
According to him, the rarity of such large asteroids is evident.
He pointed out that the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs was attributed to an asteroid half that size, which struck Earth 66 million years ago, contrasting sharply with the numerous meteor impacts we witness annually.
Despite these intriguing metrics, subsequent observations led to re-evaluation of 3I/ATLAS.
Specifically, the lack of ‘spectral fingerprints of atomic or molecular gas’ indicates that the object may not be a comet, a possibility Loeb had earlier suggested.
This absence of indicators leads him to question, “If 3I/ATLAS is not an asteroid—based on the interstellar reservoir argument in my paper—nor a comet, then what is it?”
Fortunately, the scientific community has the opportunity to observe the object more closely as it approaches the Sun.
Loeb highlighted that the brightness of 3I/ATLAS will increase, and its characteristics will become clearer.
If it remains a solid object without the typical cometary gases or dust tail, then brightness should vary inversely with distance from the Sun, influencing its visibility from Earth.
He noted, “The simplest hypothesis is that 3I/ATLAS is a comet, and we are missing the spectral features due to the distance from Earth.”
However, without any observed cometary tail, Loeb speculates that this could suggest the presence of an extraterrestrial visitor.
In closing, he emphasized the importance of remaining curious and open-minded in scientific endeavors.
“Let us instead maintain our childhood curiosity and seek evidence rather than pretend to know the answers in advance,” Loeb concluded.
He advocates for a scientific approach that embraces the possibility of new discoveries, fostering an environment filled with excitement and wonder.
As observations continue, the identity of 3I/ATLAS remains one of profound interest to astronomers and theorists alike.
image source from：futurism
