The article discusses the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, observed in November 2025. It was found to be rotating with a period of 16.16 hours and exhibited unexpected jet formations. Despite this rotation, a recent image showed a highly collimated jet extending over a million kilometers, raising questions about how these jets maintain their orientation.
Several hypotheses are considered:
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Illumination-Induced Outgassing: The variation in sunlight exposure due to the object’s surface topography might lead to jets that pulse every 16.16 hours, aligning with sunlight.
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Debris Ejection: The jets may be remnants from an explosion of the object near the Sun.
- Technological Origin: There’s a speculative possibility that the jets are maintained by thrusters for navigational purposes.
The article also lists 12 anomalies related to 3I/ATLAS, including its unusual orbit, mass, gas composition, and its brightening behavior. The upcoming weeks are expected to provide more data, which could influence its classification on a scale that assesses the object’s nature.
Avi Loeb, the author, is notable for his contributions to astrophysics and has been involved in initiatives searching for signs of extraterrestrial life.
