Just when calm seemed to return to the study of the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, Avi Loeb, Harvard astrophysicist and well-known advocate of the extraterrestrial hypothesis, has once again placed the comet at the center of a new scientific hurricane. Loeb claims to have identified an “extraordinary new anomaly”, reopening the debate about the nature of the third interstellar object detected to date.
As he has been doing for months, Loeb published his observations and reflections on Medium, where he analyzes every change, calculation or data he considers relevant for the scientific community. In this latest update, the astrophysicist once again raises a scenario that has generated controversy from day one: the possibility that 3I/ATLAS is not a comet, but an extraterrestrial mothership.
“Suppose it’s a mothership…”: the approach that reignites controversy
In the article that sparked the discussion, Loeb bluntly proposes a speculative exercise: “Suppose, hypothetically, that the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is a mothership designed to seed Jupiter with technological devices. What would be the greatest distance from Jupiter that this interstellar gardener should reach?”
With this question as a starting point, the astrophysicist develops an argument based on astronomical calculations about the radius of Jupiter’s gravitational influence, known as Hill’s radius. As he explains, it is in this space where an object could deposit technology without being expelled by the Sun’s gravitational force.
Loeb notes that this radius will be 53.502 million kilometers on March 16, 2026, a distance virtually identical to the minimum predicted for the comet: 53.445 million kilometers. For him, that coincidence, while statistically possible, is also a window into something more intriguing.
The anomaly recorded by NASA: the key point
In late October, an unexpected deviation in the trajectory of 3I/ATLAS was detected. NASA JPL navigation engineer Davide Farnocchia observed that the object had departed “four arc seconds in right ascension” from the path it should have followed under the sole gravitational influence of the Sun.
Loeb interprets this deviation as a possible maneuver: “If 3I/ATLAS is of technological origin, it could have adjusted its trajectory with the help of thrusters to reach the Hill radius of Jupiter”.
A window of invisibility and possible maneuvers
Another argument Loeb introduces is that the deflection coincided with a critical period: the comet was hidden behind the Sun, which prevented continuous monitoring from Earth. For him, that opens the door to the unexpected: undetected maneuvers or even the release of technological devices.
Although the scientific community considers these claims highly speculative, Loeb argues that his approach is a valid theoretical exercise and that the only way to rule it out with certainty will be to observe what happens in Jupiter’s orbit as the object approaches.
Technology near Jupiter?
Loeb finishes off his article with an idea that, while hypothetical, captures attention because of its symbolism: “If we find technological satellites from Jupiter that we have not sent out, it would imply that Jupiter is of interest to an extraterrestrial civilization.”
“Not finding similar devices near Earth could be disappointing, as it would suggest that our interstellar guest is not interested in us. Not only are we not at the center of the solar system, but we are also not the center of attention in our cosmic neighborhood. This would be a blow to our ego,” he concluded.
