The mysterious interstellar object 3I/ATLAS — referred to in recent discussions as 31/ATLAS — is drawing global attention as it speeds toward its closest pass to Earth and its post-perihelion evolution.
Expected to come within just 170 million miles on December 19, the object is providing astronomers with a rare opportunity to study an interstellar visitor just weeks after its perihelion, with new debates emerging about whether its strange “heartbeat” pulses could be natural or technological. And with some scientists even exploring whether its passage may lead to new objects appearing around Jupiter, the stakes have never been higher.
A Strange Pulse from the Deep: The 16.16-Hour “Heartbeat.”
Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb recently highlighted new findings about 31/ATLAS, including an unusual “heartbeat” light curve observed by multiple ground-based telescopes. A major paper published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics in October reported that the object emits a repeating light pulse every 16.16 hours, forming a rhythmic beacon that caught the attention of comet researchers and extraterrestrial-technology theorists alike.
