2025.09.14 – 3I/ATLAS, NASA, ESA, Gemini South, Avi Loeb, Chilean Scientists, and Viral Claims of a Message

Key Findings

• 3I/ATLAS (also: C/2025 N1) is the third confirmed interstellar object, discovered on 1 July 2025 by the ATLAS–CHL station in Chile. NASA and ESA both describe it as a natural comet with no threat to Earth.
• Its perihelion is expected on 29–30 October 2025 (~1.4 AU from the Sun), with the closest approach to Earth on 19 December 2025 (~1.8 AU).
• Gemini South in Chile imaged the comet on 27 August 2025, capturing its growing tail and coma as it activated near the Sun.
• Viral Spanish-language posts allege a Morse-like coded signal decoded by AI, including a message that “we are on our way,” and claim contact with world leaders; these claims lack scientific confirmation.
• Avi Loeb has suggested a potential artificial origin, but NASA scientists and most astronomers emphasize that 3I/ATLAS behaves like a typical comet.
• Observations note possible CO₂ and CN emissions, and a greenish hue attributed to molecular processes, but the dominant chemical drivers remain under study.

Confirmed Facts

1. 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1) was identified as an interstellar comet on 1 July 2025 by the ATLAS–CHL station in Río Hurtado, Chile. It is the third recognized interstellar object after 1I/ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov. Its hyperbolic trajectory confirms an extrasolar origin. NASA and ESA highlight its scientific interest while emphasizing that its orbit poses no danger to Earth.
2. Orbital details are well defined: perihelion is expected on 29–30 October 2025 at about 1.4 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun. The closest approach to Earth will occur on 19 December 2025 at ~1.8 AU, equal to ~270 million kilometers. These figures confirm that 3I/ATLAS will not collide with Earth and will remain at a safe distance.
3. Gemini South, the 8.1-meter telescope of the International Gemini Observatory on Cerro Pachón, Chile, obtained high-resolution images of 3I/ATLAS on 27 August 2025. These images revealed a developing tail and bright coma, indicating solar-driven activity. The campaign included collaborations between Chilean scientists, NOIRLab, and students, providing both scientific and educational value.
4. Spectroscopic and photometric studies report CO₂ and CN activity in the comet’s coma, consistent with volatile sublimation. Some observations show a greenish coloration, which is often linked to molecules such as C₂ or CN. However, ongoing work aims to establish which molecules dominate the color features in 3I/ATLAS.
5. NASA, ESA, and mainstream scientific institutions affirm that 3I/ATLAS is a natural comet with no threat to Earth. Coverage in respected outlets emphasizes its importance for comparative studies of interstellar and solar system comets, and its safe passage through the inner solar system.
6. Reports in social media, including Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube, circulate a Spanish-language narrative claiming that Chilean scientists intercepted a Morse-like transmission from 3I/ATLAS. The alleged decoded AI message stated “Vamos en camino. Los hemos estado observando. No tengan miedo, pronto estaremos allí.” The viral texts also claim that the comet is already in contact with world leaders.

Disputed or Uncertain

1. Allegations of a Morse-like coded signal and AI-decoded message: No evidence from NASA, ESA, Gemini South, or peer-reviewed literature confirms such a transmission. The claims are based on viral social media posts and fringe sites without verifiable scientific data.
2. Assertions of secret communication with world leaders: These appear only in viral narratives and lack any supporting documentation. No credible source validates the notion of diplomatic or covert contact linked to 3I/ATLAS.
3. Artificial origin hypothesis: Avi Loeb has publicly speculated that 3I/ATLAS could have an artificial origin, echoing debates around 1I/ʻOumuamua. NASA scientists and most of the astronomical community dispute this interpretation, arguing the object’s activity and appearance fit natural cometary physics.
4. Composition and color drivers: Reports mention green hues possibly due to molecules such as C₂ or CN, but spectroscopic confirmation remains incomplete. The balance between different volatiles (e.g., CO₂, CN, C₂) is not yet resolved.
5. Physical dimensions and reflective properties: Size, albedo, and other detailed parameters are still under refinement. Current values vary across early estimates, and further data from observatories will clarify these characteristics after perihelion.

Open Questions

• Which molecules definitively dominate the green coloration in 3I/ATLAS?
• What are the most accurate estimates of the nucleus size and albedo?
• How will coordinated JWST, Hubble, and SPHEREx campaigns refine compositional analysis?
• How do 3I/ATLAS’s properties compare with those of 2I/Borisov and long-period solar system comets?
• Will perihelion observations provide stronger evidence against or in favor of artificial-origin claims?

Sources

https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/3i-atlas/ https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Comet_3I_ATLAS_frequently_asked_questions https://astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/3I https://theskylive.com/c2025n1-info https://noirlab.edu/public/news/noirlab2525/ https://www.space.com/astronomy/scientists-capture-interstellar-invader-comet-3i-atlas-growing-a-tail-this-image-is-both-a-scientific-milestone-and-a-source-of-wonder-photo-video https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news/3i-atlas-gemini-south https://www.space.com/astronomy/comets/spherex-spots-carbon-dioxide-coma-around-comet-3i-atlas https://www.livescience.com/space/comets/interstellar-comet-3i-atlas-could-be-turning-bright-green-surprising-new-photos-reveal https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/sep/11/interstellar-comet-nasa-alien-made https://avi-loeb.medium.com/should-we-message-3i-atlas-43455e323f69 https://avi-loeb.medium.com/the-sunward-glow-in-the-hubble-image-of-3i-atlas-is-ten-times-longer-than-it-is-wide-3a5cff257a94 https://www.facebook.com/groups/890332732083288/posts/1497350741381481/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DObplofkqZS/ https://x.com/jeancarloz73/status/1966002142176551322 https://thepeoplesvoice.tv/mysterious-coded-message-from-interstellar-object-3i-atlas-stuns-chilean-scientists/ https://ciencia.nasa.gov/sistema-solar/cometa-3i-atlas/