The European Space Agency has released a stunning new image of 3I/ATLAS captured by the JUICE spacecraft, reigniting debate after Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb claimed it could be an alien ship
Space scientists have unveiled a fresh image of the mysterious space rock that journeyed through our solar system. Researchers revealed the photo depicts the interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS – theorised to be a menacing alien spacecraft by one Harvard astrophysicist – ejecting dust and gas.
The remarkable pic was taken by the science camera aboard ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) spacecraft. A separate study published earlier this month documented the space rock experiencing a “dramatic increase in brightness” two months after the frozen body had completed its nearest approach to the Sun.
The European Space Agency (ESA) announced Thursday (Feb 26): “The tiny nucleus of the comet (not visible) is surrounded by a bright halo of gas known as the coma.
“A long tail stretches away from the comet, and we see hints of rays, jets, streams and filaments.” The camera, dubbed JANUS, captured this image on 6 November 2025, merely seven days after the comet completed its closest approach to the Sun.
At that moment, Juice was approximately 66 million km distant from the comet. In total, JANUS captured more than 120 images of 3I/ATLAS across a vast wavelength range.
The instrument team is examining all these images more closely to determine what they disclose about the comet. Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb suggested the comet might be an alien probe conducting a reconnaissance mission, citing its peculiar glow, trajectory matching planetary orbits, and unnatural path.
A scientific paper co-authored by Loeb had cautioned the object might be a hostile spacecraft for which humanity ought to be prepared.
It stated: “The consequences, should the hypothesis turn out to be correct, could potentially be dire for humanity, and would possibly require defensive measures to be undertaken (though these might prove futile).” Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has reignited debate within the scientific community by suggesting that the recently discovered interstellar object 3I/ATLAS may be more than just a comet.
Discovered in July 2025, 3I/ATLAS has exhibited a series of unusual characteristics that, according to Professor Loeb, could point to it being a technological artifact from an advanced alien civilisation. Although he has conceded that the object is “most likely” a natural comet, Loeb has often argued that the anomalies observed justify a thorough investigation into the possibility that it could be an artificial probe or even a “Trojan horse”.
Among the 14 anomalies Loeb has identified, several stand out as particularly intriguing. Firstly, the object’s trajectory is highly unusual: it follows a retrograde orbit aligned within just five degrees of the ecliptic plane, a configuration Loeb estimates has only a 0.2% probability of occurring by chance.
Furthermore, its path is timed to pass near Mars, Venus, and Jupiter, raising questions about its origins. Another striking feature is the presence of an “anti-tail”: rather than displaying a typical cometary tail pointing away from the Sun, 3I/ATLAS has exhibited a persistent sunward jet extending over 310,000 miles.
Chemical analysis of the object’s gas plume reveals it is rich in nickel but poor in iron, more akin to industrial alloys than natural comets, and contains only 4% water, an unusually low proportion. Early observations also noted a lack of expected cometary activity, such as a clear tail of vapour, leading Loeb to speculate that the object might be “powered” or “guided”.
The broader scientific community, however, remains sceptical of Loeb’s claims. NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and other institutions continue to classify 3I/ATLAS as a natural comet, albeit one with some unusual but ultimately explainable features.
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