Astronomer Avi Loeb (Harvard University) and two collaborators recently published a theory suggesting that Comet 3I/ATLAS is actually an extraterrestrial mothership "disguised" as a rock or comet. The object, already photographed by a space telescope, is approximately 15 km across.
Loeb made similar claims about the asteroid 'Oumuamua, which passed through our solar system in 2017.
This new theory is fueling a wave of hysteria, with some people now convinced that an alien invasion will occur in November. Adding to the chaos, hundreds of channels on Facebook and YouTube are spreading fake news about the comet. This doesn't appear to be random but rather part of a coordinated and large-scale misinformation campaign.
In their paper, Loeb and his team argue that the object’s unusual trajectory—with close approaches to Venus, Mars, and Jupiter—its extraordinary speed, and its orbital inclination (nearly aligned with the ecliptic) are all atypical for a natural body. They suggest these characteristics could facilitate discreet surveillance or even deployment of extraterrestrial technology.
However, the scientific consensus strongly disagrees. Astronomers such as Darryl Seligman, Samantha Lawler, and Chris Lintott emphasize that observations clearly indicate typical cometary behavior, including a diffuse coma, tail formation, and the release of volatile gases.
The object was identified on July 1, 2025, by the ATLAS survey and quickly confirmed to be of interstellar origin. Traveling at over 210,000 km/h, it has since been imaged by the Vera Rubin Observatory, which estimates its diameter to be between 11 and 15 km—making it the largest of the three interstellar objects observed so far (after ‘Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov). Models suggest that 3I/ATLAS may be up to 3 billion years old, possibly the oldest comet ever detected.
The global astronomical community is currently focused on studying the object as it approaches perihelion in late October, aiming to collect spectra, measure volatile compounds, and analyze its dynamic behavior.
Previously, the comet was referred to as "C/2025 N1 (ATLAS)" and cataloged under the temporary designation "A11pl3Z."
Despite the speculative nature of Loeb’s claims—which he presents in an article on the ArXiv preprint server as a pedagogical exercise—thousands of bloggers and YouTubers are using the story to spread sensationalist narratives, sparking unnecessary panic. It’s worth noting that while the paper lists "Abraham Loeb" as the author (his full name), he is widely known in the media as "Avi Loeb."
Some conspiracy theorists point to space telescope images and claim that the object is "long and tubular," interpreting this as evidence of a massive alien mothership. In reality, the visual appearance is due to a long-exposure photograph taken with multispectral filters. Because the comet moves during the exposure, it appears in slightly different positions across filters, creating a “rainbow” or stretched effect. Meanwhile, the background stars remain as sharp points because the telescope either tracked the stars or corrected for their motion—not the comet's.
This is a well-known visual artifact in astrophotography, commonly seen when imaging fast-moving objects like asteroids, comets, or interstellar bodies.
The ATLAS survey system, operated by the University of Hawaii and funded by NASA, consists of four telescopes: two in Hawaii, one in Chile, and one in South Africa. Its mission is to detect near-Earth objects early enough to provide warning of potential impacts.
Dear reader:
I do not condone the spread of fake news, as so many "ufology" websites do, capitalizing on fear and confusion for clicks. Every year, when an asteroid or comet approaches Earth, the same type of alarmist headlines resurface.
I recall how, over fifteen years ago, people claimed that Comet ELENIN would collide with Earth. A supposed Australian astronomer allegedly leaked an email with data predicting a catastrophic impact, and some even claimed “ELENIN” stood for Extinction Level Event. Nothing happened. It was a well-crafted hoax.
Now, the same tactics are being used with Comet 3I/ATLAS.
And rest assured: in the years to come, every time an asteroid or comet passes by, someone will call it a "Mothership." The goal? Viral clicks—nothing more.
Silvio Guerrinha
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