NASA unveils new close-up images of massive comet from outside solar system

NASA has released unprecedented close-up images of 3I/ATLAS, a massive interstellar comet, intensifying scientific debate and public speculation regarding its unique characteristics. Discovered on July 1 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System observatory, 3I/ATLAS is only the third confirmed interstellar object and the second comet from outside our solar system identified by humanity. The new imagery, captured by the US space agency's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's HiRISE camera and MAVEN Mars orbiter instruments, provides a detailed look at an object potentially as large as Manhattan, traveling at speeds up to 153,000 miles per hour.

The comet's composition presents significant anomalies compared to solar system comets. Data from the James Webb Space Telescope revealed an unusually high carbon dioxide-to-water ratio in its coma, a feature "never before observed in a comet" so far from the Sun. This distinct chemical makeup suggests 3I/ATLAS may have formed under different conditions, possibly in a region of space rich in CO2 ice or exposed to more intense radiation. NASA scientists, including Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya, confirm it behaves like a comet but emphasize its interstellar origin makes its differences scientifically tantalizing.

Despite NASA's classification, speculation about 3I/ATLAS's potential alien origin persists, notably championed by Harvard professor Avi Loeb. Loeb identifies "12 anomalies," including its unusual trajectory past multiple planets, a larger-than-expected nucleus, and its non-traditional physical and chemical makeup, which he argues make it unique. He posits that interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS offer new opportunities in the search for both primitive and technological lifeforms, suggesting science is a work in progress where anomalies lead to new interpretations.

3I/ATLAS passed closest to the Sun on October 30 and will make its closest approach to Earth on December 19, at a distance of approximately 170 million miles. Its hyperbolic trajectory indicates it is merely passing through our solar system, unbound by the Sun's gravity. NASA plans to make all collected data publicly available, with findings to be published in peer-reviewed journals after thorough scrutiny, promising future insights into the diverse conditions across the galaxy and the origins of other solar systems.