New images show that the Manhattan-sized interstellar object 3I/ATLAS has developed a tail, indicating it could be a “maneuvering” alien craft, a Harvard scientist has suggested.
After symptoms appear incredibly strange “anti-tail” Since its first appearance in the solar system in July, 3I/ATLAS now shows evidence of a real comet tail, as images captured by Spain's Northern Optical Telescope in the Canary Islands showed in September.
These new images show materials peeling away from the 33-billion-ton object as it moves toward the sun and is exposed to up to 33 gigawatts of solar radiation, Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb wrote in his paper. recent article.
However, the anti-tail sequence and then the presence of a tail may indicate “controlled maneuvering” and a strong strike. Black Swan Event.
The 3I/ATLAS anti-tail was a plume consisting primarily of carbon dioxide and water with traces of cyanide and a never naturally occurring nickel alloy used only in human production.
“[I]If the object is a decelerating alien spacecraft,” Loeb wrote, then the anti-tail would indicate a “braking thrust” maneuver, which would naturally turn into a tail once the deceleration procedure was complete.
International Asteroid Warning Network Earlier this week, I added 3I/ATLAS to my target list and began observing the object for scientific purposes.
The group wrote on their website: “Although Comet 3I/ATLAS poses no threat, it represents an excellent observing opportunity for the IAWN community due to its long history of observability from Earth and high interest in the scientific community.”
Researchers around the world are waiting with bated breath for images captured earlier this month by NASA's HiRISE camera – the highest-resolution 3I/ATLAS images to date – aboard the Mars orbiter when the object was within 12 million miles of the Red Planet.
The US space agency has not yet made them available due to the ongoing government shutdown.
3I/ATLAS will approach the Sun on October 29, when it will be 1.8 times farther than Earth from the Sun.
