NASA Shocked – Mysterious Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Is a Massive Space Giant

NASA scientists are stunned. A newly discovered interstellar object, named 3I/ATLAS, has turned out to be far bigger and heavier than anyone expected. At first, it seemed like just another space rock passing through.

But recent data shows it’s a massive object—over 5 kilometers wide and weighing more than 33 billion tons. That makes it the largest interstellar object ever observed, dwarfing past visitors like ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov. So… what exactly is this thing, and should we be worried?

Object

3I/ATLAS is the third interstellar object detected in human history, following ʻOumuamua in 2017 and Borisov in 2019. But unlike those smaller visitors, this one is colossal.

It was first spotted months ago, zooming into our solar system at high speed. Initially, astronomers thought it was a comet. But here’s the catch—it doesn’t behave like one. Its orbit is strange, and it’s got a suspicious amount of carbon dioxide. Something’s clearly off.

Analysis

Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb—a familiar name when it comes to space mysteries—joined researchers Richard Cloete and Peter Veres to study the object’s path and the gas it’s releasing.

Their conclusion? The core is much larger than first thought. In fact, it could be 1,000 to 100,000 times more massive than ʻOumuamua or Borisov. To put that into perspective:

Interstellar Object	Estimated Size	Estimated Mass
ʻOumuamua (2017)	~400 meters	Unknown, small
2I/Borisov (2019)	~1 km	Small
3I/ATLAS (2024)	5+ km	33+ billion tons

So yes—this thing is a monster compared to anything else we’ve seen from outside our solar system.

Trajectory

Its path through space is just as strange as its size. 3I/ATLAS has already passed near Jupiter, Mars, and Venus, and it’s set to come within 2.68 million kilometers of Mars’s orbit. That might sound like a lot, but in cosmic terms—it’s close.

The good news? This near pass gives astronomers a golden opportunity to track and study it using high-powered tools. NASA’s HiRISE camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will be watching closely.

Alien?

Let’s talk theories. Loeb—never one to shy away from bold ideas—has floated the possibility that if 3I/ATLAS turns out to be even larger, it might not be natural.

Yes, he’s hinting at artificial origin. Could it be some kind of alien probe? A chunk of alien tech? While most scientists say it’s simply a giant comet, Loeb’s suggestion adds a layer of cosmic drama to the mystery.

Is it likely? Probably not. But is it fascinating? Absolutely.

Color

Adding to the mystery, the object has recently changed color, taking on a greenish glow. That’s typically caused by gases like carbon dioxide or frozen water vaporizing as it heats up near the sun.

Comets often do this—but again, 3I/ATLAS is so big that even ordinary comet behavior looks extraordinary.

Discovery

The bottom line is that we’re dealing with something completely unfamiliar. Its size, behavior, and strange chemical makeup set it apart from any other interstellar visitor.

So far, scientists still don’t know:

• What exactly it’s made of
• Where it came from
• Whether it holds organic materials or signs of life
• And, most importantly—could it pose a threat?

Risk

Let’s clear up the scary part. No, it’s not going to crash into Earth or any other planet—for now. Its current trajectory doesn’t pose a threat to our solar system. Instead, it offers a rare chance to study an object that may have come from another star system—or even deeper in the galaxy.

Studying it could help us know how solar systems form, what materials exist outside our star system, and maybe even whether life elsewhere is possible.

In the vast, mysterious expanse of space, 3I/ATLAS reminds us how little we still know—and how small we really are.

FAQs