Alien Battleship” Buzz as Interstellar Object Skims 1.5M km from Earth
A mysterious interstellar object that one scientist has controversially suggested could be an alien spacecraft is set to reach its closest point to Earth on Friday.
The object, known as 3i/ATLAS, will pass the planet at a speed of about 130,000 miles per hour, coming within roughly 170 million miles. That is around twice the distance between the Earth and the Sun.
Most astronomers agree the object is a comet that originated from outside our solar system. However, a Harvard University astrophysicist has reignited debate by saying he cannot fully rule out the possibility of extraterrestrial technology.
Object Skims 1.5M km
Professor Avi Loeb told Sky News that humanity should remain alert to what he described as a potential “black swan event”, an extremely unlikely occurrence with serious consequences.
“Alien technology is a potential threat because when you go on a blind date of interstellar proportions, you never know if the visitor is friendly or dangerous,” he said.
“When there are implications for society, even unlikely scenarios deserve careful consideration. We should gather as much data as possible to rule them out.”
Professor Loeb pointed to several features he believes are unusual. He said images suggest the object has an atypical tail that could be linked to propulsion, traces of nickel in its gas cloud might indicate metal extraction, and its trajectory appears aligned with the orbital plane of the planets, which he argues is statistically unlikely to happen by chance.
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3i/ATLAS was first detected in July as a faint point of light against the background of distant stars. Since then, it has travelled rapidly through the solar system, passing Mars in early October, briefly disappearing behind the Sun, and then moving close to Earth’s orbital path. It is expected to pass Jupiter next before fading from view.
Space agencies on both sides of the Atlantic have dismissed claims of anything artificial. The United States and European space agencies have trained cameras from more than a dozen spacecraft on the object and say the evidence strongly supports a natural explanation.
Amit Kshatriya from NASA said there was no ambiguity.
“This object is a comet. It looks like a comet and behaves like a comet. All the evidence points in that direction,” he said.
Scientists estimate the comet is about eight billion years old, making it roughly twice as old as the Sun and the rest of the solar system. They describe it as a cosmic relic formed around another star long before our own system existed.
Professor Chris Lintott, an astronomer at the University of Oxford, said there was nothing unusual or threatening about the object.
“This is just nonsense,” he told Sky News. “It is like suggesting the Moon might be made of cheese. You can consider it if you want, but the real question is why you would.”
He explained that changes in the comet’s colour and brightness are consistent with sunlight heating different types of ice and material gathered during its long journey through interstellar space.
“There is nothing this object has done that we have not seen before,” he said.
Professor Loeb has accused fellow scientists of being too quick to dismiss alternative explanations.
“At the heart of science is humility,” he said. “It is about being willing to learn, not assuming expertise means you already know the answer.”
He made similar claims in 2017 about Oumuamua, another interstellar object that passed through the solar system and prompted widespread speculation.
Professor Lintott warned that unsupported theories can be harmful.
“I do not understand why Avi has focused on this,” he said. “Searching for signs of intelligence in the universe is a valid scientific goal. But you begin with objects that are genuinely strange, and this one simply is not.”
