Interstellar objectΒ 3I/ATLASΒ β which is zooming through our inner solar system β appears to be emitting its own light, according to Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb.
The observation by Loeb, if verified, would contradict NASAβs classification of the Manhattan-sized object as a comet, the scientist argues in a new blog post.
The level of light observed on 3I/ATLAS could be achieved βfrom a source diameter smaller than 100 meters,β according to Loeb.
This shift in understanding the light source would also mean that 3I/ATLAS is quite smaller than initially thought, and more comparable in size to the two other known interstellar objects, Oumuamua and Borisov.
Manhattan-sized interstellar object appears to emit its own light: Harvard scientist https://t.co/keSzeyJGVO pic.twitter.com/igBHkiOQfc
— New York Post (@nypost) August 19, 2025
