Nasa releases images of comet 3I/ATLAS, rejects alien spacecraft ‘rumours’

NASA has definitively rejected speculation that the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is an alien spacecraft, confirming it is a comet. The US space agency released new images and detailed observations, with officials stating that all evidence points to 3I/ATLAS behaving and looking like a typical comet. This announcement comes after a scientist suggested the object's unusual trajectory and composition could indicate alien technology, sparking widespread public interest and discussion within the scientific community.

Astronomers first spotted 3I/ATLAS in July via the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile. Its unique trajectory indicated an origin from outside our solar system, making it only the third interstellar object observed traversing the solar system, following 1I/'Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. NASA utilized more than a dozen scientific platforms, including the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes, to study the object, revealing a clear coma and dust tail characteristic of comets.

While 3I/ATLAS's precise origin remains unknown, scientists believe it hails from a solar system older than our own, which formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago. Its composition shows similarities to other comets, including carbon dioxide, water, carbon monoxide, and nickel. Crucially, NASA confirmed that 3I/ATLAS poses no threat to Earth, with its closest approach maintaining a distance of about 275 million kilometers from our planet. This conclusive identification aims to quell public speculation and reinforce the scientific understanding of interstellar visitors.