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NASA Affirms 3I/ATLAS as Natural Comet; Loeb’s Alien-Probe Theory Faces Scrutiny

Precovery observations from TESS have revealed distant activity at about 6.4 astronomical units, prompting intensified imaging before its October perihelion.

Avi Loeb, an astrophysicist at Harvard University, is pictured in 2022.
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Overview

  • NASA and international observatories confirm 3I/ATLAS is a natural interstellar comet posing no threat to Earth.
  • TESS precovery photometry indicates the object showed cometary activity near 6.4 astronomical units from the Sun.
  • Avi Loeb’s non–peer-reviewed paper explores an alien-probe scenario and proposes a Juno spacecraft intercept in March 2026.
  • Mainstream astronomers dismiss artificial-technology claims, attributing the comet’s trajectory and brightness to outgassing and dust emissions.
  • 3I/ATLAS is expected to reach perihelion on October 30 at roughly 130 million miles from Earth, driving ongoing spectral and imaging campaigns.