Scientists warn that Comet 3I/ATLAS is shrinking as it approaches Earth
Since it was reported in July, kite interstellar 3I/Atlas, for him strange features, Scientists are in suspense.
Recently, some media outlets have reported that the object is bailedafter its closest approach to the Sun a few days ago.
This has led to a strengthening of the theory that the comet is a celestial object, as the latest ATLAS images do not show the typical implications of a comet’s size reduction. alien.
Meanwhile, scientists and fans are eagerly awaiting the passage of this phenomenon near Earth in the coming weeks.
Shrinking Comet 3I/ATLAS: normal behavior or a sign of extraterrestrial life?
According to journalist reports, this comet 3I/Atlas he shrunken suddenly 13% After its close approach to the Sun in the last week of October.
What’s surprising is that experts still don’t know exactly why the contractions occur. Losing some of an object’s mass can cause disorientation. without queuingthis is usually what happens when such a phenomenon is alleviated.
Suspicious behavior spurred Harvard professor’s theory Avi LoebHe has long maintained that it was not a comet, but could be a comet. extraterrestrial phenomenon
Loeb said the shrinkage is directly related to the object’s sudden change in orbit as it approaches the sun, but it is unusual for it not to form a tail.
“For a typical comet, this (contraction) would have caused a huge tail of dust and gas to point away from the sun,” he explained. daily mailand added, “In new images on November 5, 2025.” I can’t see the tail This type of thing. ”
Loeb also noted that ATLAS hasn’t changed much since the Hubble Space Telescope photo taken in July, adding to the mystery.
The scientist is also in charge of the Galileo mission, which aims to look for signs of extraterrestrial technology, and believes the phenomenon at least exists. ten signs It could be an artificial spacecraft.
Among them, it turns out that the object first had “.”anti cola”, meaning the tail points toward the Sun rather than away from it, which is unusual for comets.
It is also impressive that there is color changed It turned blue several times during its journey through the solar system, and sometimes when it approached the largest star, something that had never happened to comets before. Just as a piece of metal turns red when heated, comets generally turn red when heated because they reflect red light.
Comet 3I/ATLAS had a reddish color. Photo: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)Loeb even goes so far as to claim that it could be an alien mothership disguised as a space rock. however, NASA denies this hypothesis And it claims to be a natural comet.
Meanwhile, the experts and enthusiasts following the object are waiting for it to reach its peak. the closest point to our planet, Well, that will be the moment when you can study it better.
When will comet 3I/ATLAS approach Earth?
he 3I/Atlasfirst reported on July 1, 2025, is the third known interstellar object (hence the name “3” and “I”), following the discoveries of 1I/Oumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019.
However, this comet has a series of peculiarities that make it a different species from previous comets, including extremely high speed and enormous size. Therefore, the astronomical community is waiting for the day of its closest approach to Earth.
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What’s going on with 3I/ATLAS? NASA activated planetary defense protocols against comets
This happens when placed at a distance of an estimated 1.8 AU (about 1.8 AU), NASA reports. 270 million km) in relation to our earth.
The group says the phenomenon will occur in December 2025 and, despite the alarming theory, the object poses no threat to Earth as it will pass at a significant distance from Earth.
recently, european space agency They went further and set the exact date when the comet would reach this point. December 19th.
Although this phenomenon is invisible to the human eye, the time will come when specialized teams will be able to clearly observe it. Scientists hope that the object’s close approach will allow them to clearly visualize features that distinguish it from other comets recorded in the past.