A mysterious object moving through the solar system has caught the attention of Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, who believes it could be more than just a comet—and possibly an alien spacecraft. The interstellar body, designated 3I/ATLAS, was first spotted on July 1 and is now under close observation due to its unusual characteristics.
Loeb, known for his provocative theories on extraterrestrial life, says the object’s path raises serious questions. It travels on a rare retrograde orbit, meaning it moves against the solar system’s flow, and aligns closely with the orbital plane of Earth and other inner planets. He estimates the chances of such a natural alignment at just 0.2 percent.
He warns that if the object is artificial, it could carry probes or even hostile technology. Based on current trajectory calculations, 3I/ATLAS is expected to pass behind the sun in October and could potentially approach Earth between November 21 and December 5, 2025.
Loeb warns of a possible threat and timeline
“The visitor is already in our backyard,” Loeb said, emphasizing the need to prepare for both peaceful and dangerous scenarios.
Loeb has described the object as a potential “mothership,” capable of deploying smaller devices to investigate or interact with habitable planets. He said this strategy would allow probes to reach targets like Earth while the main craft continues toward another star.
🧵Avi Loeb Responds: “Did 3I/ATLAS Go Viral?”
Avi Loeb just fired back at critics of his latest paper on 3I/ATLAS.
Loeb defends his right to question if the object might be alien tech and takes aim at what he calls “scientific gatekeeping.”
Here's what he said👇 pic.twitter.com/KIBlkrlEK5— Skywatch Signal (@UAPWatchers) July 28, 2025
As part of his response plan, Loeb has published three pre-print research papers and proposed that NASA attempt to intercept it using the Juno spacecraft during the object’s passage near Jupiter. He also called for the creation of an interstellar risk scale ranging from zero for natural comets to ten for confirmed technological artifacts.
To prevent public panic, he argues that governments should form multidisciplinary task forces, including scientists, policymakers, and psychologists, to plan for any eventual disclosure.
Skepticism from other astronomers
Not all astronomers support his theory. Chris Lintott, a professor at the University of Oxford, dismissed the alien spacecraft suggestion as “nonsense on stilts.” He told Live Science that such claims undermine serious research into the nature of 3I/ATLAS.
Despite criticism, Loeb remains firm. The object, estimated to be about 12 miles wide, is large for something entering from beyond the solar system. He points out that if this were a natural event, scientists should have detected many similar cases by now—but haven’t.
At its current speed of nearly 60 miles per second relative to Earth, 3I/ATLAS is too fast for any existing spacecraft to intercept. Loeb admits that if it turns out to be artificial, little can be done. Still, he believes the risk justifies a warning.
He compared the situation to Pascal’s wager, noting that it’s safer to prepare for the worst-case scenario, even if the object turns out to be harmless.
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