Did 3I/ATLAS Slow Down on Purpose or Is Something Else Controlling Its Path?

3I/ATLAS, a comet from interstellar space, has been doing strange things, and scientists are wondering if it has actually slowed, or if some other mechanism is affecting it. 

What has happened to the speed of 3I/ATLAS? 

Comets speed up or slow down a little bit close to the Sun, and that is the effect of gas jets — which is called outgassing — when ice sublimates near the Sun and pushes the comet like tiny thrusters. However, we see that 3I/ATLAS has had almost none of these non-gravitational accelerations, even though it clearly had thrown off lots of gas and dust. Also, instead of slowing down, there were even indications that it had “spurted ahead” of its expected trajectory by erupting earlier than expected as it went around the Sun.

Theories Behind It’s Strange Behavior

One theory is that it is using gravity assists like a spacecraft. Just like how a human designed space probe can bank off a planet like Venus, Mars, or Jupiter to change speed and trajectory, 3I/ATLAS may be able to do this somehow. This has led some to think about whether it is an ordinary comet – or whether it is even a designed object, perhaps influenced by intelligence. 

Is It Slowing Down on Purpose?

Scientists are considering the possibility of 3I/ATLAS intentionally slowing to settle into a Sun or planet orbit, which has, to our knowledge, never occurred in interstellar visitors. The “purposeful slowdown” hypothesis is a small part of a larger conversation about the possibility of it being an alien probe or alien technology attempting to hide or gather information from our solar system. 

What Do the Experts Say? 

Astrophysicist Avi Loeb from Harvard and others have drawn attention to the sheer scale and density of the object, which makes it less likely to obey a typical comet-like acceleration. Its trajectory now is primarily gravitational, with far less influence from jets of gas than we would expect from such an active comet. Loeb even suggested that the odd signals and motion can be attributable to intelligent design.

What is Next for 3I/ATLAS? 

Scientists are continuing to track the speed and trajectory of 3I/ATLAS as it passes through the solar system, waiting for existing information about it — or some new clue. Whether it turns out to be a strange natural comet, or whether it turns out to be something even more purposeful, this object is certainly bending our knowledge of known astronomical phenomena.

This article is based on ongoing astronomical observations and expert interpretations. No definitive evidence currently confirms whether 3I/ATLAS’s movement is natural or artificial. Further verification from official space agencies is awaited.

Also Read: 3I/ATLAS: What Did India’s Space Telescope Really See When NASA Went Silent