Has an ‘alien spaceship’ entered our solar system? Unravelling the mystery behind interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS

Over the past few weeks, interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has piqued a lot of curiosity among astronomers and astrophiles alike. The cosmic phenomenon, which is currently at its closest point to the Sun at a distance of about 210 million kilometres, is as rare as it can be! According to NASA, the comet - which is also making news for the hyperbolic shape of its orbital path - is the third known object from outside our solar system to be discovered passing through our celestial neighborhood. That said, 3I/ATLAS is unlikely to be visible to the naked eye despite approaching Earth at about 270 million kilometres. 

Having travelled unimaginable distances across the galaxy, the icy wanderer silently slipped into the solar system in July 2025. Although NASA has confirmed that 3I/ATLAS poses no threat to our planet whatsoever, enthusiasts can’t help but speculate that the frozen traveller can possibly be an ‘alien spaceship’ sauntering around our skies.

Where did 3I/ATLAS come from

The 3I/ATLAS interstellar comet was first spotted by NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), located in Rio Hurtado, Chile. The comet is moving at a mind-boggling speed of 209,000 kilometres per hour - the highest velocity ever recorded for a solar system visitor. Needless to say, there is immense curiosity around the cosmic phenomenon right now, with scientists closely monitoring its path, composition and behaviour, in order to gather data about its origin and other aspects. Thought to be formed in another star system, the comet may have somehow ejected into interstellar space. Before drifting into our solar system, it has possibly wandered for millions or even billions of years. 3I/ATLAS approached from the general direction of the constellation Sagittarius, which is where the central region of our galaxy, the Milky Way, is located. 

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How 3I/ATLAS is stirring up the cosmos

There is not much clarity on the exact size of the comet, but observations from the Hubble Space Telescope earlier specified that its nucleus is not less than 440 metres and not more than 5.6 kilometres. The comet’s bright coma, a halo of gas and dust, masks its solid core, making it an exercise in indirect measurement rather than direct observation.

Recently, Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb speculated that there could be a 40% chance that 3I/ATLAS is an alien technology, disguised as a natural object or a ‘Trojan horse’ from another civilization conducting reconnaissance on earth. He also pointed toward its unusual orbit, possible non-gravitational accelerations and the fact that it ventures into regions of space near major planets. 

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Should we be worried?

No immediate threat. NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have confirmed that the object poses no danger to our planet. However, the passage definitely offers a rare window into an object formed in another star system, an interstellar messenger bringing secrets from far beyond.