According to Popular Science, the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has been generating wild theories since its discovery in early July, with some claiming it changed colors and others suggesting it might be alien technology. The comet, traveling at around 130,000 mph, made its closest pass to the sun on October 30, allowing three spacecraft to document this ancient cosmic rock. Early observations noted rapid brightening compared to other comets, and while initial data suggested a red color, newer analysis shows it’s actually “distinctly bluer than the sun.” Astronomer Qicheng Zhang from Lowell Observatory confirms there’s no evidence the gas coma actually changed colors – the brightening started back in early September, and amateur photos from that time already show the bluish-green coma. The comet will make its closest approach to Earth on December 19, passing within about 167 million miles.
The conspiracy theories are getting ridiculous
Here’s the thing about space discoveries – they always attract the alien crowd. Multiple outlets ran with the “color change” narrative, and the internet did what it does best: generate a deluge of misinformation about the comet’s “true” extraterrestrial identity. But Zhang isn’t having any of it. He told Popular Science he’s more frustrated with people pushing unsubstantiated ideas than the conspiratorial thinking itself. And he specifically called out Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, who’s been suggesting the comet might show signs of “alien tech.” Zhang’s main annoyance? “So much of it has been propagated by someone with a background in science who should know better.” Ouch.
So what’s actually happening with this comet?
Basically, comets do weird things when they get close to stars. The gas coma – that cloud of sublimated debris – experienced rapid brightening as 3I/ATLAS sped closer to the sun. But this isn’t some mysterious color-changing event. Zhang made clear this brightening started occurring by early September, and there are multiple photos from hobbyist astronomers around that time showing the same bluish-green gas coma. The comet’s behavior is unusual, sure, but it’s still within the realm of natural comet activity. NASA’s comet research page explains that interstellar visitors often show unexpected characteristics simply because they formed in different solar systems with different conditions.
Why this actually matters for science
Look, we’ve only found three of these interstellar visitors ever. The first was ‘Oumuamua in 2017, then Borisov in 2019, and now 3I/ATLAS. Each one gives us a precious glimpse into how other solar systems form and evolve. Zhang puts it perfectly: “I do hope more people will begin see how the anomalies of this comet are just weird things comets do, and perhaps driving more interest to understand them better.” The real story here isn’t alien technology – it’s that we’re getting unprecedented documentation of an object that traveled through interstellar space for who knows how long before swinging through our neighborhood. NASA had limited operations during the government shutdown, but there’s still a chance we’ll get images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter taken on October 3. And as Space.com notes, visibility will only improve as we approach that December 19 closest approach.
The bigger picture about scientific communication
This whole situation highlights a real problem in how space discoveries get communicated. A preprint study gets misinterpreted, someone with credentials amplifies the misunderstanding, and suddenly we’ve got headlines about color-changing alien comets. Zhang’s frustration with Loeb isn’t just personal – it’s about how easily misinformation spreads when it comes from someone who “should know better.” The reality is much less exciting but far more scientifically valuable. These monitoring systems – whether they’re space telescopes or ground-based observatories – require reliable hardware to capture accurate data. When you’re dealing with celestial objects moving at 130,000 mph, you can’t afford equipment failures or misinterpretations. Every observation counts when you’re studying something that might not return for millions of years.
