NASA Confirms Comet 3I/Atlas is Natural, Dispels Alienโฃ Craft Theories
WASHINGTON – โNASA has โคdefinitively stated that the recently observed comet, 3I/Atlas, is aโ natural โฃcelestial body and not โคan alien spacecraft, despite speculationโ fueledโ by โฃits unusual characteristics andโฃ a period โof limited โขagency dialog โdue to the recent federal government shutdown.
The comet, discovered by the ATLAS telescope inโค Chile, is currently approximately 307โฃ million โkilometers (190 million โฃmiles) from Earth. Astronomers worldwide are intensely studying 3I/Atlas,โค utilizing both ground-based telescopes and space probes like the Webb Space Telescope and the European Space Agency’s Juice spacecraft, โcurrently enโ route to Jupiter. Juice has been collecting data throughout the month, though observations won’t be available until โFebruary due to its antenna being used as a heatโค shield during itsโ closest approachโ to the Sun.
scientists estimate the comet’sโ size to be between 440 meters (1,444 โคfeet) and 5.6 kilometers โ(3.5 miles) wide. Observations suggest it โis traveling โฃat an exceptionally fast speed โขand may originate from a star system โolder than our own. “That means that 3I/Atlas is not โฃjust a window to another solar system, it isโข indeed a window toโ the deep past and so deepโ into the past that it โeven predates the formation โof our Earth and our Sun,” explained NASA scientist Tom Statler.
The comet will reach its closest point to Earth – 269 million kilometers (167 โฃmillion miles) – in mid-December โฃbefore returning to interstellar space, making this a unique and unrepeatable observation prospect.
“Everyone whoโ has control ofโข a telescope wants to observe it as it is indeed a fascinating and rare opportunity,” said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, NASA’s acting director of astrophysics.
NASA โAssociate Administrator Amit Kshatriya emphasized the agency’s ongoing search for extraterrestrial life but โคfirmly clarified,โ “3I/Atlas is a comet.” The โขagency โacknowledged being unable to address all circulating theories in recent weeks due โขto the government shutdown.
