With Earth just days away from reaching its closest point with 3I/ATLAS, some scientists are certain the intriguing object is an “alien spaceship” hurtling towards us
20:52, 14 Dec 2025Updated 20:59, 14 Dec 2025
Interstellar anomaly 31/ATLAS has developed a new “anti-tail” once again(Image: Michael Jäger and Gerald Rhemann)
A mysterious object flying through our solar system has appeared to change where its second tail is pointing to. It now means that some scientists are now more and more convinced the article is some form of spaceship heading to Earth.
The object, named 3I/ATLAS, has already had close encounters with just some of our most state-of-the-art satellites, revealing huge details surrounding the comet. However, some scientists are now convinced the item is something from another civilisation destined to reach out to Earth.
And now, after it was discovered that the unidentified flying object has a second, “anti-tail”, more and more information is being discovered about the strange entity. Now it appears the anti-tail is now heading in a different direction, confusing researchers even further.
Some scientists are certain that 3I/ATLAS could be headed for Earth and could in fact be aliens (stock)
According to the IBTimes, 3I/ATLAS’ anti-tail is consistently pointing towards the Sun as it flies through our solar system. The bizarre feature of the tail has baffled scientists trying to track its trajectory by focusing on its previous movement as it slowly makes its way to Earth.
Anti-tails have been seen on objects like comets before, but on 3I/ATLAS, this is a new phenomenon as it does not provide an easy explanation for its development. The first sign of an anti-tail was found on images sent from the Hubble Space Telescope back in July, shortly after the asteroid-like object was discovered.
Photos captured by the telescope showed a long extension in front of the item, rather than behind it. It quickly disappeared before reappearing in new images captured at the end of November, even after it had passed behind the Sun from our perspective.
The object’s anti-tail has remained steadily fixed on the Sun since it entered our solar system(Image: The European Space Agency)
Theory from astrophysics is struggling to come up with reasons for the second tail pointing in front of the object rather than behind it. However, it believes that anti-tails are triggered by dust particles that hang around a comet’s orbit, giving it an almost halo effect.
But while some comets have anti-tails that are hard to discern, 3I/ATLAS has a clear and visible anti-tail, leading many to believe there are large dust particles surround it, making them harder to be broken up by the Sun’s heat. As a result, there is now a huge debate between scientists on what the tail could actually signify.
Many astronomers believe that the tail can be explained using simple physics, instead of more outlandish claims. One study on the object suggests the tail could be caused by the thickness of ice grains around the asteroid itself, which is mimicking the tail of a comet.
It comes after new images showed the comet dramatically changing colour
However, other theoretical physicists such as Avi Loeb believes the anti-tail is not so much a result of ice, but in fact could be caused by the production of carbon dioxide, potentially a side product of an alien spaceship. This theory has been slammed by other physicists such as Brian Cox, but many do believe it may be something more intelligent.
It comes after some of the latest images show 3I/ATLAS appearing to change colour as it hurtles towards out planet. However, the exact reasoning for this has not yet been worked out.
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