Hubble Captures 3I/ATLAS Erupting With Jet Physics Never Seen Before

These observations reinforce what months of tracking have already suggested: 3I/ATLAS is not behaving like an object formed within our solar system. Its hyperbolic trajectory, extreme velocity, and now its jet morphology all support an origin around another star. Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has argued that interstellar objects should be evaluated on evidence rather than assumption. This image adds weight to that approach by presenting physical behavior that resists easy categorization.

None of this proves artificial origin, nor does it require one. But it does demonstrate that the material properties and internal physics of 3I/ATLAS differ substantially from known comet populations. Exotic ices such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, or nitrogen-rich compounds—formed in colder, more distant stellar environments—remain plausible explanations. So do crystalline volatile layers capable of storing and releasing energy in a controlled manner when exposed to solar radiation.

The timing of this image is critical. As 3I/ATLAS continues its outbound path toward Jupiter, with a close encounter expected in March 2026, observational opportunities will become increasingly limited. Yet the broader implication extends beyond this single object. Facilities such as the Vera Rubin Observatory are expected to identify many more interstellar visitors in the coming years, each offering a rare, fleeting window into planetary systems beyond our own.