A Harvard physicist has recently stirred up excitement around a unique interstellar object that’s making its way through our solar system. Earlier this month, Avi Loeb highlighted that this rare cosmic visitor might be something beyond just your average comet. In fact, he suggests it could be a nuclear-powered spaceship.
D 3I/ATLAS, this object was spotted in early July by an ATLAS telescope based in Chile. Fascinatingly, it’s only the third time we’ve caught a glimpse of an interstellar object entering our solar system, as stated by NASA.
NASA has labeled it as a comet, but Loeb has pointed out a striking feature: an unexpected glow in front of the object instead of trailing light like a traditional comet. He describes this phenomenon as “quite surprising.” In a recent blog post, Loeb argued that the brightness we see can’t be brushed off as merely being sunlight bouncing off it or standard cometary activity.
Rather intriguingly, he proposed that 3I/ATLAS may be creating its own illumination, perhaps using nuclear energy.
“It’s possible that 3I/ATLAS is a spacecraft powered by nuclear energy, and the particles blasting from its front may consist of dust accumulated during its journey through space,” he explained. However, he also noted that this idea needs more robust evidence to be accepted.
Empirical logic leads Loeb to dismiss other natural energy sources. In his explanation, he pointed out that a primordial black hole would produce a mere 20 nanowatts, which is way too minimal. As for a piece of radioactive debris from a supernova, that’s considered highly unlikely due to its rarity. Additionally, methods like frictional heating from interstellar dust and gas just don’t hold water under scrutiny.
The clearest theory left is the idea of a powerful, compact energy source driving this remarkable luminosity. According to Loeb, achieving the gigawatt-level brightness observed would align well with nuclear power.
Nevertheless, Loeb stops short of declaring that this object is definitively nuclear-powered; he underscores that if all natural explanations miss the mark, we must have conclusive evidence to support an alternative theory.
Measuring around 20 kilometers across, which is bigger than Manhattan, 3I/ATLAS undoubtedly garners attention. Loeb has also raised queries regarding its peculiar path into our system.
“If you visualize celestial objects entering the solar system from random directions, it’s quite rare—roughly one in 500— that they align so closely with the planetary orbits,” he told Fox News Digital earlier this month.
The interstellar object, originating from the heart of the Milky Way, is also predicted to sweep by Mars, Venus, and Jupiter, which he points out is another striking coincidence.
Loeb calculated that there’s just a one in 20,000 chance that it would pass so closely to these planets.
Nasa estimates that on October 30th, 3I/ATLAS will be about 130 million miles from the sun, marking its closest approach.
“If it turns out to be a technological object, that would surely reshape our understanding of humanity’s future,” Loeb expressed. “We need to figure out our response.”
Reported by Sophia Compton for Fox News Digital.
Source of the original article:Harvard physicist says mysterious interstellar object could be nuclear-powered spaceship
