3I/ATLAS – Is It a Rock or Non-Human Intelligence? (Updated Overview)
3I/ATLAS (Third interstellar object to reach earth) is a large interstellar object (not from our solar system) likely over 300 meters in diameter but possibly up to around 5 kilometers or even up to 20 km. Initially it looked like a comet like 1I/’Oumuamua (Oumuamua), the first interstellar object we’ve seen, it is showing some anomalous characteristics that allow the possibility for it to be more than an unintelligent rock.
This document will be continuously updated to reflect the latest on Dr. Loeb’s statements and the physical evidence brought by other scientests.
3I/ATLAS Facts
When Discovered
It was first spotted on July 1, 2025, by the ATLAS survey telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile. Then astronomers dug into archives and found prior observations stretching back to mid‑June. SETI Institute+14NASA Science+14Space+14
Who Discovered It
The discovery credit goes to the NASA‑funded ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial‑impact Last Alert System) telescope in Chile. Follow‑ups came from a gaggle of observatories—including ZTF at Palomar, and observatories in Hawai‘i, Arizona, and more. The Guardian+8NASA Science+8
Location at Discovery
At detection, it was around 670 million km (or about 410 million miles) from the Sun—inside Jupiter’s orbit. It was also around 3.5–4.5 AU from the Sun and close-ish to the border of Serpens Cauda and Sagittarius. NASA Science+1
Speed Relative to the Sun & Earth
- It’s tearing through space at roughly 61 km/s (~140,000 mph / 220,000 km/h) relative to the Sun.
- In some recent reports, it’s clocked at over 140,000 mph (~210,000 km/h), making it a prime candidate for the fastest interstellar object recorded. Sci.News: Breaking Science News+13Live Science+13Live Science+13
Date Closest to the Sun (Perihelion)
It’s scheduled to swing closest to the Sun between late October and early November 2025, around 210 million km (~130 million miles) out—well within Mars’ orbit but still safe. IFLScience
Date Closest to Earth
If observed measurements stay true, it won’t get too close to Earth, maxing out at about 150–270 million km away. That’s more than 1.5× the Earth‑Sun distance (AU). Sci.News: Breaking Science News
Rotation
No solid info on rotation yet. It does appear to be rotating slightly.
Brightness
Not bright enough to see with naked eye.
Potential Importance of 3I/ATLAS?
Some scientists, especially Dr. Avi Loeb of Harvard, have noted the possibility that this interstellar object has some features that could be viewed as potentially technological, not natural, possibly sent from some intelligence other than human.
Most of the scientific community, including NASA, believes 3I/ATLAS is simply a comet—a natural space rock that fully matches the criteria for being classified as one.
There exists two possibilities for some manmade craft of ours to further study 3I/ATLAS, but it seems like scientists running these programs are not concerned at all with claims it may be anything more than an unintelligent rock.
3I/ATLAS — Anomalies Avi Loeb Has Pointed Out
1. Size Anomaly
Hubble estimates put the nucleus between ~320 meters and 5.6 km. That’s an unusually large size range, and Loeb has noted that if the brightness is artificially generated, the true nucleus could be much smaller (even under 100 m). He argues that we may be overestimating its size because we’re assuming natural reflection instead of possible self-illumination. We should be seeing an object of this size possibly once every 50,000 years (from The Angry Astronaut on YouTube).
2. Trajectory Alignment
3I/ATLAS is traveling almost perfectly within our solar system’s orbital plane, to within ~5 degrees. That’s rare for an interstellar object, which should come in at random angles. Loeb suggests this could be purposeful — like a ship sliding into the same “freeway” planes our planets travel in.
3. Water and Chemical Behavior
A Swift UV study claimed to detect water vapor (OH) at 3.5 AU, ~40 kg/s of activity. Loeb disputes this. His Medium posts argue:
- No clear water signatures have been firmly established.
- Outgassing is inconsistent — if it were a natural comet, water should increase predictably as it approaches the Sun.
- Instead, the activity looks sporadic, like it’s “switched on” at odd points.
4. Timing and Path
Its trajectory brings it close to Mars, Venus, and Jupiter, while avoiding Earth. Loeb has asked whether this is mere coincidence or intentional routing. He’s noted that the timing looks like it “threaded the needle” — close passes with key planets without an Earth encounter. Dr. Loeb stated recently in an interview that this was a 1 in 10,000 chance to occur randomly.
5. The Forward Glow / Tail in Front
The most striking anomaly:
- Hubble shows a glow ahead of the object in the direction of travel. Comets normally trail material behind them, swept away by solar radiation.
- Loeb suggests this may be a shield or buffer of dust and particles placed in front of the craft, potentially extending 1–4 AU ahead. This could act like radar chaff or an early-warning system — rocks in front scatter light, alerting the craft to hazards so it can maneuver.
6. Super Brightness
Compared to typical comet expectations, 3I/ATLAS is brighter than it should be for its size and distance. Loeb entertains the idea that this brightness is not purely reflective, but perhaps generated or enhanced by an artificial surface or emission. The falloff of the light from the center (source?) is dramatic and does not match what reflective sunlight would appear like.
What Else is Dr. Avi Loeb Saying About 3I/ATLAS?
- August 9: On Fox 10 News video he was found saying, “It could be aliens,” and that a global international organization needs to be set up to study it. He also said it could be the “Messiah” coming to inaugurate an era of peace for all humanity.
- Dr. Loeb thinks the possibilitiy exists that the object could release probes while behind the sun, or Jupiter, which we would not notice.
Latest Update 20 August 2025:
The latest magnitude is 16.4 at 400 million km from earth. That is anomalous. Strangely bright. It might be generating its own light – artificial light. The reason this is odd is because just one spot seems very bright and the falloff at the edges isn’t natural for reflected light. It’s as if there is an internal light source on the object. On a graph, the bright area has a much steeper light curve than other comets observed from earth. Here’s a graphical representation.
It is 200 times brighter than the 2I/Boris interstellar object. Part of that is because of size difference.
For the brightness to be what it is, 3I/ATLAS would need to be about 20 km in size. Not very likely. Not impossible, but not probable.
10 Gigawatts of power would be necessary for something this bright. That’s like 10 nuclear energy production facilities here on earth.
The simplest interpretation is that the nucleus of the object is producing most of the light.
This is just a possibility, but here’s a video about it – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPEsXoYHbV4
ʻOumuamua — The Precedent
Loeb’s interest in 3I/ATLAS builds on the oddness of the first interstellar visitor, ʻOumuamua (2017). Oddities included:
- Shape and Size — elongated “pancake” or cigar shape, never seen before.
- Acceleration — it sped up as if pushed by a force, but with no visible outgassing to explain it.
- Lack of Tail — unlike comets, it had no dust or gas trail at all.
- Reflectivity — unusual light curve suggested it was much more reflective than typical rocks.
Loeb argued ʻOumuamua could be a light sail — a thin, engineered craft pushed by solar radiation. That idea drew heavy criticism but set the stage for his stance on 3I/ATLAS.
Also interesting – @fringedotcom on Twitter (x.com) mentioned that she was aware of a remote viewing event where occupants of ‘Oumuamua were found to be deceased.
Here’s the Real Situation
- Mainstream View: 3I/ATLAS is a comet — big, dusty, active, with some quirks. Officially: “no threat to Earth.”
- Loeb’s View: Too many anomalies pile up.
- Perfect orbital plane entry.
- Inconsistent or absent water release.
- Forward glow that makes no cometary sense.
- Super brightness inconsistent with size.
- Timing that avoids Earth but brushes other planets.
- Possibility of an early-warning dust buffer.
- Echoes of ʻOumuamua’s tail-less acceleration and reflective oddities.
If there’s even a remote chance this is engineered technology, the stakes are existential — and ignoring it could be the worst scientific and political error in history.
Other Cool Stuff About 3I/ATLAS
- Third Interstellar Object Ever
This is only the third confirmed object from outside our solar system, after ‘Oumuamua (2017) and Borisov (2019). Sci.News: Breaking Science News+13SETI Institute+13The Guardian+13 - Comet or Asteroid Vibes?
It definitely shows comet-like behavior—coma, tail, dusty halo—but spectrally it’s kinda like a D‑type asteroid (rich in organics and silicates). It’s got water ice, plus carbon-rich minerals and silicates. Space+1 - Ancient as Hell
Trajectory modeling suggests it may hail from the Milky Way’s thick disk, a region populated with ancient stars. Estimated age sits at around 7 billion years, way older than our solar system, making it possibly the oldest comet we’ve ever seen. Planetary Society+5Space+5The Sun+5 - Hubble Got a Good Look
On July 21, Hubble captured a detailed image showing a teardrop-shaped cocoon of dust around its icy core—super helpful for tracking its behavior. The Times of India+10NASA Science+10ScienceAlert+10 - Will It Stay Visible?
It’ll vanish behind the Sun around perihelion but is expected to pop back into view by December 2025 for continued observing. SpaceIFLScience - Alien Probe?
There’s a fringe hypothesis from Avi Loeb that maybe it’s alien tech—but most of the science crew is skeptical and says it behaves like a totally normal natural comet. EarthSky+2nypost.com+2