Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb stated in a recent interview that the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS exhibited an acceleration unexplained by gravitational forces after its perihelion, on October 29, 2025. The event occurred close to the Sun, about 203 million kilometers, and suggests a change in course equivalent to an ejection of five billion tons of material. This observation, based on data from the Minor Planet Center and NASA, raises debate about the nature of the object, the third interstellar detected.
Loeb highlighted that the acceleration, measured at 0.02 millimeters per second squared, does not line up with standard comet models. 3I/ATLAS, discovered on July 1, 2025 by the ATLAS system in Chile, follows a hyperbolic orbit with an eccentricity greater than 1, confirming its origin outside the Solar System.
United States Congressional authorities began analyzing the case, requesting additional images from NASA, amid concerns about possible implications of non-human technologies. Observatories like the James Webb Space Telescope have recorded jets up to millions of kilometers wide, broadening scientific scrutiny.
Preliminary data indicate that the object lost at least 13% of its estimated mass, exceeding 33 billion tons, during the solar approach. This loss, if natural, would require ejection at thermal velocities of hundreds of meters per second.
Anomalies in the orbit of 3I/ATLAS
The retrograde trajectory of 3I/ATLAS aligns with the ecliptic plane by just 5 degrees, with a probability of 0.2% for a random event. This precision suggests influences beyond planetary gravity.ia, according to calculations by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Observations from the Nordic Optical Telescope in the Canary Islands captured the transition from a solar anti-tail in July and August to a tail in September 2025. This evolution, without a prominent coma, contrasts with typical comets and reinforces questions about directed ejections.
🚨 Did 3I/ATLAS Just Move on Its Own? 🚨
— Astronomy Vibes (@AstronomyVibes) November 10, 2025
In a shocking revelation, Harvard astrophysicist Dr. Avi Loeb told Newsmax that the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS — now under congressional investigation — appears to have changed its trajectory after passing the Sun.
“It clearly… pic.twitter.com/bytROnw20H
Chemical composition reveals peculiarities
Spectra from the James Webb indicate high concentrations of carbon dioxide, with traces of water ice, carbon monoxide and carbonyl sulfide. This mixture differs from comets in the Solar System, pointing to formation in an ancient galactic disk, possibly more than 7 billion years old.
The bluish color observed near perihelion, cooler than the Sun, suggests CO+ emissions or alternative sources of light. Brightness has increased fivefold since October, with no reddish dust expected on natural objects.
The object exhibits elevated CO2/H2O ratio, unusual in previous interstellar visitors like 1I/ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov.
Non-gravitational acceleration requires explanation
Post-perihelion data from the Atacama Large Millimeter Array show a deviation of 4 seconds of arc in right ascension, incompatible with a two-body model. This acceleration occurred during solar conjunction, a period of limited observation of Earth.
For a natural comet, the force would require a mass loss of more than 10-20% in one month, with ejection at 300 meters per second. However, initial images do not reveal a corresponding gas cloud, limiting hypotheses of sublimation.
- Estimated initial mass: more than 33 billion tons.
- Minimum loss observed: 13% near perihelion.
- Maximum expected ejection speed: 300 m/s for thermal processes.
Multiple jets emerge in recent images
Images from November 8, 2025, taken by the RASA 11-inch telescope, reveal a 5-arc-minute coma with four to five jets. Directions range from 0 to 316 degrees of angular position, including countertail at 109 degrees.
These jets, some sunward, extend for hundreds of arc seconds, with no clear cometary tail. The complex structure implies omnidirectional ejections, requiring a substantial fraction of the initial mass to explain the observed recoil.
The jet network can originate from pockets of surface ice or directed propulsion systems, asand preliminary analysis.
Congressional probe gains traction
US Congress, via Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, pressed NASA for additional data on November 4, 2025, despite government shutdown. A meeting with experts is scheduled for this week, focusing on high-resolution images.
The All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office monitors the object, prioritizing interstellar trajectories. Proposals include using the Juno probe for flyby in March 2026, 53.6 million kilometers from Jupiter.
Observatories such as Hubble, Swift and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter contribute data, including spectra of Mars at 0.19 AU.
Global observations monitor evolution
Telescopes in Chile and Spain recorded the object 277 million kilometers from Earth in July. Record speed for interstellars, above 68 km/s at perihelion, facilitates studies on the interstellar medium.
In December 2025, 3I/ATLAS will move within 1.8 AU of Earth, enabling searches for radio signals via MeerKAT in South Africa. Detections of OH lines at 1.665 GHz indicate molecular interaction with solar radiation.
Projects like Loeb’s Galileo Project analyze artificial emissions while focusing on observable evidence.
