Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is once again challenging astronomers’ assumptions, after Harvard professor Avi Loeb proposed what he termed its 14th anomaly.
According to Loeb, the object’s rotation axis appears to point almost directly toward the Sun, a configuration he says has odds of just one in 40,000 of occurring by chance.
This is yet another in a litany of oddities discovered about 3I/ATLAS, which entered the solar system earlier this year.
Loeb believes this alignment cannot be easily explained by standard cometary physics, which raises the possibility that the object may be more than a natural fragment floating in space.
Why the Alignment Matters
The orientation of rotation axes is randomly distributed in the normal comets as they are formed in a chaotic fashion and thereafter as the comets interact through gravitational processes.
In the case of 3I/ATLAS, however, the axis is nearly aligned with the Sun (Loeb estimates the probability of this occurring as about one in a billion), indicating that we are either extremely chanced or that another process is involved.
Loeb has already suggested that anomalous behaviour in interstellar objects, including but not limited to the interstellar object known as Oumuamua, can indicate technological sources. The alignment, in this instance, may be theoretically functional, such as stabilising a jet or getting the most sunshine.
A Cosmic Coincidence or Something More?
The alignment has been compared with the cosmic lighthouse effect, in which the axis of rotation is predicted to point toward the emission or jet. With such a configuration, if it was deliberate, it was possible to transmit signals over great distances. Even Loeb himself has not alleged definitive evidence of artificiality but has demanded that the anomaly be treated seriously by science.
Critics, however, are still sceptical. Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations, as well as those of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), indicate that 3I/ATLAS behaves like a comet but not a typical one. AstroWright cites some astronomers who speculate that the correlation might be due to natural outgassing events or observational bias.
The Broader Debate
Loeb has sparked discussion about how science should approach interstellar research in the context of anomalies. His Galileo Project, which was initiated to conduct a scientific investigation into evidence of extraterrestrial technology, has been controversial but has drawn attention to the importance of rigorously studying objects such as 3I/ATLAS.
The proponents claim that ignoring anomalies is dangerous because it could overlook potential discoveries. Critics respond that extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence, and that natural explanations must be exhausted before technological speculations are even considered.
Implications for Astronomy
If Loeb’s calculations are correct, the occurrence of 3I/ATLAS might be a paradigm shift in how astronomers explain interstellar visitors.
Although the anomaly could turn out to be natural, the fact that the object was closely observed would be an excellent illustration of the importance of paying close attention to interstellar objects. To both visitors, present an opportunity to test the theory of planet and comet formation and to explore the possibility of extraterrestrial technology.
This has provided a fresh twist to the study of interstellar objects, as Professor Avi Loeb discovered that 3I/ATLAS is oriented toward the Sun, which is improbable at 1 in 40,000. The anomaly could be a cosmic coincidence or an indication of something greater, and it is a good reason to remain scientifically inquisitive.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
