Manhattan-size interstellar object 3I/ATLAS accelerates and turns bluer — possible signs of alien ‘engine’: Harvard scientist

The Manhattan-size interstellar object 3I/ATLAS exhibited signs of non-gravitational acceleration and appeared “bluer than the sun” as it passed our local star — which could be signs of an alien craft “engine,” according to Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb.

The object’s non-gravitational acceleration was recorded by NASA this week and indicated a dramatic outgassing which would be expected from a comet — and would mean the object would lose half its mass and exhibit a huge plume of debris in the coming months.

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Loeb suggested in a recent paper that the acceleration, along with the object’s startlingly blue appearance, could be signs of an artificially constructed craft.

“Alternatively, the non-gravitational acceleration might be the technological signature of an internal engine,” he wrote in a Medium post Friday. “This might also explain the report on 3I/ATLAS getting ‘bluer than sun.’”

“It could potentially be explained by a hot engine or source of artificial light,” he wrote, adding that it could also be a natural signature of a comet.

Earth’s telescopes were prevented from directly measuring the interstellar visitor as it came within 172 million miles of the sun, while our pale blue dot was on the opposite side of our local star.

However, several crafts that orbit the sun just ahead of Earth were able to take measurements that showed a “rapid brightening” with the supposed comet appearing “distinctly bluer than the sun,” according to a paper from the US Naval Research Lab. 

The hue is “very surprising” and contrasts earlier observations which showed the object to be red and then changing to green, according to Loeb.

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3I/ATLAS is expected to make its closest pass to Earth on Dec. 19, zooming by at roughly 167 million miles away, which will provide terrestrial researchers their best chance to determine whether the mysterious object is in fact a comet or an artificial craft.

“If we do not observe a massive cloud of gas around 3I/ATLAS in December,” Loeb said it could be an indicator of a “propulsion system.”

Loeb blasted NASA for not providing images taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s HiRISE camera during its close pass to the Red Planet during the first week of October.

Sources told The Post that the highly anticipated images won’t be shared by NASA until the government reopens.

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NASA’s Acting Administrator Sean Duffy, meanwhile, tried to shut down claims that 3I/ATLAS represents any sort of danger.

“NASA’s observations show that this is the third interstellar comet to pass through our solar system,” Duffy, who is also the transportation secretary, wrote on X Thursday in response to a question from fellow reality TV-alum Kim Kardashian.

“No aliens. No threat to life here on Earth,” he reassured.