Mysterious Interstellar Visitor Sparks Debate after Close Mars Flyby
WASHINGTON D.C. – An interstellar object, designated 3I/ATLAS, has become the focus of intense scrutiny after a recent close approach to Mars, with observations suggesting an unusual cylindrical shape that deviates from typical cometary characteristics. The object,which came within 18 million miles of the Red planet on October 3,is currently being observed by multiple space probes,yet a notable silence from major space agencies has fueled speculation online.
3I/ATLAS was first discovered in 2023 and is only the third interstellar object confirmed to have entered our solar system, following ‘Oumuamua, which passed Earth in 2017, and comet 2I/Borisov. Unlike typical comets, initial observations, including images from amateur astronomers, suggest 3I/ATLAS lacks a visible coma – the fuzzy atmosphere surrounding a comet’s nucleus - leading some scientists to question it’s classification. Dr. Horace Drew believes an amateur astronomer’s photo proves the object’s cylindrical shape.
Currently, two probes from Earth are analyzing 3I/ATLAS. The European Space Agency (ESA) utilized the Mars express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter for observations, with data processing expected to take days or weeks. However, NASA’s ability to contribute to the analysis is currently hampered by a goverment shutdown due to a lapse in funding. A message from the agency stated it “is currently closed due to a lapse in government funding.”
Avi Loeb, a Harvard astronomer known for his research on interstellar objects, told the Daily Mail on Thursday that clear images and a compositional scan are crucial to definitively determine the nature of 3I/ATLAS.
The lack of immediate public statements from space agencies has prompted discussion on social media, with some users suggesting a potential cover-up. “NASA’s shutdown is suspicious. The ESA’s delay is strange.But China’s silence, when they have every geopolitical reason to publish and show off, is the sign that something is happening behind closed doors,” one X user posted on Monday. Another user commented, “All eyes are on 3I/ATLAS – but suddenly, the silence is deafening.”
