3I/ATLAS is only the third interstellar object seen in our solar system after Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. It has remained a mystery since being first seen on July 1. Scientists have been trying to figure out its composition and why it behaves the way it does. Its trajectory has brought it close to Mars, the Sun and also later Jupiter. It will come near Earth in December, with the closest approach on December 19. Astronomers are eagerly waiting to take a closer look when it comes near our planet. Right now, it is believed to have exploded near the Sun. The complex jet structure and the sudden brightness indicate so; however, there is no confirmation of the same. Harvard scientist Avi Loeb has hypothesised that it could be an “alien mothership” coming to probe Earth. It could also release several mini probes. Meanwhile, NASA and other agencies say it is merely a comet, even if it is different from those seen in the solar system.
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