The Manhattan-sized interstellar object 3I\/ATLAS exhibited signs of non-gravitational acceleration and appeared \u201cbluer than the Sun\u201d as it passed our local star \u2014 which could be signs of an alien craft \u201cengine,\u201d according to Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb.<\/p>\n
The object\u2019s non-gravitational acceleration was recorded by NASA<\/a> this week and indicated a dramatic outgassing which would be expected from a comet \u2014 and would mean the object would lose half its mass and exhibit a huge plume of debris in the coming months.<\/p>\n The mysterious object appeared \u201cbluer than the Sun\u201d according to new research. NASA<\/p>\n Loeb suggested in a recent paper that the acceleration, along with the object\u2019s startlingly blue appearance, could be signs of an artificially constructed craft.<\/p>\n \u201cAlternatively, the non-gravitational acceleration might be the technological signature of an internal engine,\u201d he wrote<\/a> in a Medium post Friday. \u201cThis might also explain the report on 3I\/ATLAS getting \u2018bluer than Sun.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt could potentially be explained by a hot engine or source of artificial light,\u201d he wrote, adding that it could also be a natural signature of a comet.<\/p>\n Earth\u2019s telescopes were prevented from directly measuring the interstellar visitor as it came within 172 million miles of the sun, while our pale blue dot was on the opposite side of our local star. <\/p>\n However, several crafts that orbit the sun just ahead of Earth were able to take measurements that showed a \u201crapid brightening\u201d with the supposed comet appearing \u201cdistinctly bluer than the Sun,\u201d according to a paper<\/a> from the US Naval Research Lab.\u00a0<\/p>\n The hue is \u201cvery surprising\u201d and contrasts earlier observations which showed the object to be red and then changing to green<\/a>, according to Loeb.<\/p>\n The unique trajectory of 3I\/ATLAS sees it zoom through our inner Solar System. NASA<\/p>\n 3I\/ATLAS is expected to make its closest pass to Earth on Dec. 19, zooming by at roughly 167 million miles away, which will provide terrestrial researchers their best chance to determine whether the mysterious object is in fact a comet or an artificial craft.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we do not observe a massive cloud of gas around 3I\/ATLAS in December,\u201d Loeb said it could be an indicator of a \u201cpropulsion system.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart your day with all you need to know\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMorning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n