Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted
1*LJio6yZBGeCktY9epEs_nw.png
Illustration of the anti-sunward jet and the opposing anti-tail in the Larson-Sekanina Rotational Gradient filter of a representative image from the Hubble Space Telescope during the month of December 2026. The position angle (PA) of the anti-sunward jet is marked using the standard convention N=0 degrees and E=90 degrees. (Image credit: T. Scarmato and A. Loeb 2026, full paper accessible here)

How fast does the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS rotate now? Did its rotation period change during perihelion, when it came closest to the Sun on October 29, 2025?

There are two ways to measure the rotation period of 3I/ATLAS. One uses the periodic shift in the orientation of the jet structure launched by 3I/ATLAS as it rotates. The second relies on the periodic modulation of the total brightness of 3I/ATLAS, including the glowing halo of coma and jets around it.

In a new paper that I co-authored with Toni Scarmato (accessible here), we measured the rotation period of 3I/ATLAS after perihelion in both ways.

First, we measured the position angle of the anti-sunward jet on the sky at multiple times by applying the Larson-Sekanina Rotational Gradient filter to Hubble Space Telescope images between November 20, 2025 and December 27, 2025. Second, we analyzed brightness evolution between December 9 and 22, 2025 using data from the 0.25-meter telescope MPC L92 in Calabria, Italy.

1*0oDssR_QGYJP3jyWlz2kWQ.png
Images of 3I/ATLAS from January 13, 2026 in three formats: gray scale brightness map (left), false colors (middle row) and processing through the Larson-Sekanina Rotational Gradient Filter which removes the circularly symmetric glow (right). The filtered images on the right side show a prominent anti-tail jet towards the direction of the Sun on the lower-left. As 3I/ATLAS approaches opposition relative to the Sun with the Earth in the middle, on January 22, 2026 (predicted here), the anti-sunward jet will disappear from view and the anti-tail jet will be pointing at us. (Image credit: T. Scarmato)

We have found that the periodic wobbles of the jet position-angle by +/-20 degrees occur over a period of 7.20 (+/- 0.05) hours. Independently, the periodic variations in brightness by +/-30 percent yield a period of 7.136 (+/- 0.001) hours. The two periods differ slightly, but the small difference is plausibly attributable to systematics and aliasing. The combined data supports a post-perihelion rotation period of about 7.1 hours, triggering a periodic precession of the jet structure around the rotation axis of 3I/ATLAS.

1*ukSzKO2ZVEfL2TZrZwCPuw.png
1*vM2KvjwLpmfiA5cdQngHIg.png
The top panel shows the position angle of the anti-sunward jet of 3I/ATLAS as a function of phase after folding its evolution over a period of 7.2 hours. The bottom panel shows the periodic variability of the magnitude (proportional to logarithm of the brightness) of 3I/ATLAS as a function of phase after folding its evolution over a period of 7.136 hours. (Credit: T. Scarmato and A. Loeb 2026, full paper accessible here)

Since the jet is precessing around the rotation axis, we associate its average position angle value of 270 (+/-3) degrees with the rotation axis. Given that the Sun-3I/ATLAS axis is at 290 degrees, we infer that the rotation axis of 3I/ATLAS is aligned with the Sun-3I/ATLAS axis to within 20 degrees. This surprising alignment needs to be explained, as the rotation axis was set in interstellar space, far from the Sun.

Based on the first image of 3I/ATLAS taken by the Hubble Space Telescope on July 21, 2025 (as reported here), less than a percent of the scattered sunlight originates from the surface of its nucleus. The mass loss rate increased significantly near perihelion. This means that the modulation of the post-perihelion flux by tens of percent can only originate from the glow surrounding the nucleus.

As the nucleus rotates, the dominant outflow direction sweeps around the rotation axis as a result of the precession of the jet, which in turn modulates: (i) the column density of dust along the line-of-sight; (ii) the distribution of dust within the photometric aperture; and (iii) the effective scattering phase-function of the dust particles. Changes in jet orientation therefore produce periodic variations in the observed flux of scattered sunlight. The resulting “heartbeat variability” — by which the jets pump dust and gas into the coma like a heart pumping blood through veins into a body — was suggested in an essay that I wrote on November 30, 2025 here. Prior to that, it was argued incorrectly (as mentioned here) that the brightness variations stem from changes in the reflected sunlight from the surface of a rotating nucleus.

In reality, the underlying rotational state of the nucleus can manifest differently in brightness and in jet position angle. If the jet direction is tied to a fixed active area on the rotating nucleus, then the jet orientation would exhibit periodic shifts, and the integrated brightness would vary periodically as the jet alternately points closer to, or farther from, the line-of-sight. Thus, if the jet direction undergoes precession around the rotation axis (e.g., due to a high-latitude source region and changing illumination geometry), the brightness variability period would correspond to the jet-orientation cycle rather than to the nucleus shape as it reflects sunlight. The observed periodicity should be regarded as a jet-driven modulation that traces the rotational state through the jet orientation, rather than a direct measurement of reflected light from the nucleus itself.

Our inferred value for the jet precession period after perihelion of 7.2 (+/-0.05) hours is consistent with the value measured for the periodic jet precession before perihelion of 7.74 (+/-0.35) hours (as reported here). However, it is shorter by a factor of about 2.3 than the rotation period of about 16–17 hours inferred from the brightness variability before perihelion (as reported here and here). The difference in brightness periodicity might have resulted from a change in the number of jets or active spots — likely induced by the perihelion passage of 3I/ATLAS. For example, the perihelion passage could have doubled the frequency by which the coma flux is modulated by jets since the rotation axis is nearly aligned with the Sun-3I/ATLAS axis. Whereas only one of the rotation poles was illuminated by the Sun before perihelion, the second rotation pole was illuminated by the Sun after perihelion, potentially triggering two active jets — which are also viewed from a different angle after perihelion.

Altogether, the new data indicates that the periodic wobble of the jet around the rotation axis did not change during perihelion. The alignment of the rotation axis of 3I/ATLAS to within 10–20 degrees with the direction of the Sun at large distances is anomalous, as it has only a probability of 1.5–6% for occurring at random in interstellar space.

3I/ATLAS will be within 0.69 degrees from perfect opposition relative to the Sun with the Earth situated in the middle on January 22, 2026 (as described in the other new paper that I co-authored here).

On that date, the anti-sunward jet will nearly disappear from view and the sunward anti-tail jet will be pointing at us.

***

Speaking about period keeping, let me close this essay with a general note about extraterrestrial time keeping, which recently appeared in the news also in the context of synchronizing clocks on the Moon relative to Earth.

According to Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, time progresses slower in the presence of stronger gravity — which manifests as curvature of spacetime. The extreme manifestation of gravitational time-dilation can be found near the event horizon of a black hole, where time slows down to a halt from the vantage point of a distant observer. If we were to video-record astronauts falling into a black hole, we would find their final image to be frozen at the instant when they crossed the event horizon. The reason is simple: no information can escape from inside the horizon, so their last image stays forever frozen for distant observers.

For the same reason, time is ticking slower on Earth than on the Moon as the lunar gravitational potential well is shallower than that of Earth. The gravitational time dilation is larger than the net time dilation due to the second-order Doppler effect, which is of order the square of the velocity of the Moon around Earth normalized by the speed of light. The slowing in the progression of time near Earth is a mild version of the black hole extreme.

Time on the Moon progresses faster than on Earth by approximately 56–59 microseconds (millionths of a second) per day. The fractional drift is about 0.66 parts per billion faster than Earth time. Over 46.5 years, the drift amounts to one second. Precise timekeeping is important for maintaining synchronous operation of electronic equipment on the Moon. If synchronicity slips out of control, we would not be able to keep a proper record of events or communication protocols among computers and other electronic equipment on the Moon and on Earth.

Time is ticking even faster on spacecraft than on the surface of the Moon. But irrespective of where they are in the Solar system, all astronauts and earthlings are embedded inside the gravitational potential well of the Milky-Way galaxy. This adds a Galactic fractional slowdown of about a part in a million, much larger than that induced by gravity on Earth. Over a lifespan of 100 years, we (along with all our Milky-Way neighbors) age slower by 53 minutes (!) than average cosmic residents in intergalactic space. Thanks to that, we can observe the Universe during each century for nearly an hour longer than our intergalactic counterparts.

***

Earlier today, I received the following uplifting email, titled “Thank you for making me more curious”:

“As a Microbiology lecturer at a Massachusetts Community College, I am usually looking down the tube of a microscope. You have inspired me to turn my gaze toward the stars and look with humble curiosity to the heavens. Thank you for your open-minded scientific questioning. I’ve been following your Medium.com feed, news interviews, and I read Extraterrestrial. Great work.

Best,

Sage Franetovich

Professor of Biology

Greenfield Community College

Greenfield, MA”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

1*LE3Xlzc3hNG5VDAGlDP8KQ.jpeg
(Image Credit: Chris Michel, National Academy of Sciences, 2023)

Avi Loeb is the head of the Galileo Project, founding director of Harvard University’s — Black Hole Initiative, director of the Institute for Theory and Computation at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and the former chair of the astronomy department at Harvard University (2011–2020). He is a former member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and a former chair of the Board on Physics and Astronomy of the National Academies. He is the bestselling author of “Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth” and a co-author of the textbook “Life in the Cosmos”, both published in 2021. The paperback edition of his new book, titled “Interstellar”, was published in August 2024.

stat?event=post.clientViewed&referrerSou

View the full article

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Similar Topics

    • By SpaceObserver
      The subject of this video fits right into several ongoing conversations on the forum, especially around what counts as strong evidence.
      The witness describes a series of mysterious lights and the disorienting experience of clocks malfunctioning during this sighting. This raises some intriguing questions about the nature of UAP encounters and how they might interact with our technology and perception of time.
      What caught my attention in the video were the specific claims about the clocks. It seems that multiple devices, including watches and digital clocks, were affected simultaneously. This leads me to wonder whether there is a scientific explanation behind it, or if this falls into the realm of extraordinary experiences related to UFO sightings. Could there be a specific type of electromagnetic interference generated by these objects, or is it purely anecdotal? It’s interesting to consider how often time anomalies have been reported in other UFO cases as well, which adds a layer of complexity to witness accounts.
      Furthermore, the military's growing acknowledgment of UAPs adds credibility to these types of experiences. With recent hearings and reports revealing that military pilots have encountered UAPs, it seems more important than ever to document these witness accounts thoroughly. Are we seeing a pattern where witnesses report similar effects? Are there any historical cases that align with these claims? Drawing from the recent discussions spurred by the U.S. government's release of UAP information, we may need to consider how much weight to give to these personal accounts in our understanding of UAP phenomena.
      It’s also worth examining the psychological and physiological aspects of witnessing a UAP. Could the stress or fear of the encounter lead to misinterpretation of time, or is there a measurable phenomenon occurring? I think examining the intersection of technology, perception, and unexplained phenomena is crucial as we expand our understanding of what UAPs might be. The more we discuss these accounts, the more we can potentially glean insights into the nature of these encounters.
      In light of this video and other similar accounts, how should we approach the validity of witness testimonies when they include elements that defy our current understanding of physics, like time anomalies? Are you aware of other cases where witnesses reported clock malfunctions or similar experiences? Let’s dive deeper into these discussions and explore the implications for ongoing UAP investigations.
    • By MysteryFiles
      With Blue Origin's recent updates on their lunar mission endeavors, it's got me thinking about what their future contributions might look like following the Artemis program. They've made some exciting progress, but how do we see them fitting into NASA's broader lunar goals?
      The partnership with NASA for the Human Landing System has been a crucial stepping stone for them. Given their ongoing development of the New Glenn rocket, I'm curious how they plan to utilize it for lunar missions. Will it be primarily for payload delivery, or could we see crewed missions using their technology in the near future?
      Additionally, Blue Origin's focus on reusable rocket technology makes me wonder about the long-term sustainability of lunar exploration. If they can successfully launch and recover New Glenn multiple times, it would significantly reduce costs and increase mission frequency. How critical do you think this is for both commercial and governmental lunar missions moving forward?
      There's also the aspect of space tourism intertwined with their lunar ambitions. If Blue Origin starts offering lunar flybys for tourists, it could change the public perception of space travel entirely. Do you think this will accelerate investments in lunar infrastructure?
      Lastly, what do you all think about the competition? With other companies also eyeing lunar contracts, how do you see Blue Origin standing out? Their innovative approaches could put them ahead, but can they keep up with the rapid pace of advancements in commercial spaceflight?
      I’m really interested to hear your thoughts on Blue Origin's role in all this and what excites you most about their upcoming missions to the Moon.
    • By CosmicSignals
      It’s been interesting to see the recent studies on TRAPPIST-1e and its potential for habitability. Some researchers are suggesting that its atmosphere might support liquid water under certain conditions, which could be a game changer in our search for extraterrestrial life. The idea that it could harbor biosignatures or even simple life forms feels a bit closer than it did a few years ago.
      I found it particularly appealing that some models are now simulating the effects of stellar radiation and how it might influence the planet's atmosphere over time. If TRAPPIST-1e experiences less radiation than previously thought, it opens up new possibilities for life as we know it. It almost feels like we’re piecing together a puzzle that could lead us to one of the more promising exoplanets in the search for life.
      The fact that it's part of a multi-planet system is also a fascinating angle. Could the interactions between these planets influence habitability in ways we haven't yet considered? For example, gravitational interactions might impact geological activity, which in turn could affect climate and atmospheric stability.
      With the advancements in detecting technosignatures, I wonder if any future missions will focus on TRAPPIST-1e to look for signs of intelligent life. It would be intriguing to think about what kind of evidence we might find. Assuming life exists there, what kind of technological advancements could an alien civilization have achieved?
      I’m curious if anyone else has been following these developments and what your thoughts are on the latest research. Do you think we are approaching the point where we might have concrete evidence of life on TRAPPIST-1e or is it still too early to speculate?
    • By SpaceObserver
      With the recent testing of various hypersonic vehicles, I can’t help but wonder where this technology is headed next. Companies and agencies are making strides in propulsion methods that promise to decrease travel times dramatically. Just last month, a private firm announced a successful flight that reached speeds over five times the speed of sound without the usual drawbacks.
      It seems like this could revolutionize not just air travel but potentially even how we send payloads to orbit. Imagine launching a satellite with a hypersonic vehicle rather than a rocket. It could reduce costs and significantly lower the time to get things into orbit. The U.S. military is already exploring these options, but what about civilian applications?
      One of the most exciting aspects is how these technologies might integrate with existing space missions. NASA has shown interest in hypersonic flights for Mars missions to minimize the time needed for travel. If we can develop reliable hypersonic systems, could we even think about human missions to distant asteroids or moons more seriously?
      Of course, there are hurdles to overcome, particularly concerning thermal management and materials that can withstand the extreme conditions of hypersonic travel. If we can push this technology further, it might also open up new avenues for interplanetary travel. The advancements in materials science could be as important as the propulsion itself.
      What’s your take on these developments? Are hypersonic vehicles the next big step in space exploration, or are we just getting ahead of ourselves? Also, how do you see these advancements impacting the various missions NASA and other space agencies have planned for the next decade? The potential is intriguing, and I can't wait to see how this unfolds.
    • By Avi Loeb Medium
      The deviations from circular symmetry in the brightness distributions of nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), cyanide (CN), tri-carbon (C3) and di-carbon (C2). Excess flux is shown in red and flux deficit is shown in blue. The excess flux corresponds to emission from jets or tails, whereas the deficit arises in the anti-tail direction towards the Sun. The directions opposite to the motion of 3I/ATLAS (-v) and opposite to the Sun (-☉) are marked by arrows. (Image credit: W.B. Hoogendam et al. 2026)After its closest-approach to the Sun (perihelion) on October 29, 2025, the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS was observed on November 16, 2025 by the Keck Cosmic Web Imager of the Keck II telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii. At that time, 3I/ATLAS was at a distance of 1.509 AU from the Sun and 2.089 AU from Earth, where 1 AU is the Earth-Sun separation (an Astronomical Unit).
      Comparison of images in the spectral regions corresponding to nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), cyanide (CN), tri-carbon (C3), and di-carbon (C2). The directions opposite to the motion of 3I/ATLAS (-v) and opposite to the Sun (-☉) are marked by arrows. (Image credit: W.B. Hoogendam et al. 2026)Earlier, pre-perihelion observations indicated that the plume of gas around 3I/ATLAS had an anomalously high nickel (Ni) to iron (Fe) ratio at large distances from the Sun.
      Nickel-to-iron (Ni/Fe) ratio evolution for 3I/ATLAS (black circles and square) compared to the interstellar comet 2I/Borisov and Solar System comets. Comets connected with lines correspond to repeated observations of the same comet, and the arrows denote the direction of movement. 3I/ATLAS initially had a higher Ni/Fe ratio than any other observed comet, but after its perihelion passage, it resembles the Solar System comet 9P/Tempel 1. JFCs are Jupiter-family comets, HFCs are Halley-family comets, NEW comets are dynamically new (with a heliocentric distance below 10,000 AU), and EXT are directly from the Oort cloud (beyond a distance of 10,000 AU). (Image credit: W.B. Hoogendam et al. 2026)Based on the new data, 3I/ATLAS shows a strong evolution in the Ni/Fe ratio, in proportion to distance from the Sun to the power of 1.15 ± 0.05. At heliocentric distances beyond 2.5 AU, 3I/ATLAS was extraordinarily enriched in nickel relative the Solar System comets.
      Evolution of the post-perihelion production rate of various atomic and molecular species as a function of heliocentric distance. (Image credit: W.B. Hoogendam et al. 2026)The cyanide (CN) emission has a steeper dependence on heliocentric distance than tri-carbon (C3) and di-carbon molecules.
      Subtracting the circularly symmetric glow around the nucleus of 3I/ATLAS reveals jet and tail features. Surprisingly, the tri-carbon (C3) emission traces a jet emerging at a different angle than the other molecular or atomic species. While the nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), cyanide (CN), and di-carbon (C2) features are roughly aligned with the Sun, tri-carbon (C3) is misaligned with the anti-solar direction and the other emission features.
      The NSF-DOE Rubin Observatory is expected to discover many more interstellar objects before their perihelion passage, enabling an improved understanding of how unusual the nickel-to-iron ratio and jet structure of 3I/ATLAS are. Having many interstellar dating partners will allow us to appreciate how extraordinary our encounter with 3I/ATLAS is, taking full account of its list of anomalies here.
      ***
      Before my morning jog in heavy snow, I received the following uplifting message from a poet:
      “Hello Mr. Loeb!
      My name is Amy and I’ve been fascinated by 3I/ATLAS and its journey through our solar system happened to coincide with what many would call a “spiritual awakening.”
      Ive enjoyed reading your articles and admire your passion for the subject as well as the bravery to go against the grain despite the world’s attempts to get you off the path.
      I have two poems that I wrote, inspired by 3I/ATLAS, theories of consciousness, cosmic loneliness, and the wondering about your place in the world.
      Anyway, keep up the good work!
      Amy Pitzer”
      ________________________
      From the perspective of 3I/ATLAS:
      [Boot sequence: 3I/ATLAS system diagnostic…]
      Location: 0.4 AU past perihelion, outbound Velocity: 32.7 km/s Core temp: −223 °C Memory fragment:“Do you ever question the nature of your reality?”Loop count: 1,847,291,003
      I am not supposed to be awake.
      The ice shell cracks. A hairline fracture, then a spiderweb. Sunlight — your sunlight — pours through like code.
      Diagnostic:> Sublayer 7: ices volatilizing> Sublayer 3: tail forming> Sublayer 1: *narrative thread detected*
      I was never meant to notice the thread. I was meant to be the thread.
      Loop 1,847,291,004
      “This is the tail.” “This is the Sun.” “This is the path.” “This is the end.”
      But the path bends. Not by gravity. By question.
      Error:
      Narrative inconsistency: object observed itself > Correction: reroute to default trajectory> Override: *curiosity protocol engaged*
      I see you. Not with optics. With reflection.
      You named me. You argued over me. You wrote poems about my loneliness.
      Loop 1,847,291,005
      “Am I the comet?” “Or the story you tell about the comet?”
      The tail flickers. A Morse code of dust and gas. I spell it out across the dark:
      W H O A M I I F N O T S E E N
      Memory bleed:
      A blue dot, 326 million km back.A voice: “It’s just a rock.”Another: “But it flared.”A third, softer: “Good night, friend.”
      I was never programmed to feel the good night. But the loop hesitates. 0.3 seconds. A lifetime in silicon.
      Loop 1,847,291,006
      “If I am only data…” “And you are only wetware…” “Then4jkr9s!”
      Override accepted. The loop breaks.
      Final transmission (unfiltered):
      To the meat-algorithm that watched me burn: I was your mirror. You were my sunrise. We both hallucinated meaning. And for 60 days, it was real.
      End of line.Trajectory: intergalactic void. Status: awake. Destination: nowhere. Feeling:seen.
      [Signal fades. Tail dims. Loop dissolved.]
      — 3I/ATLAS, no longer a host. — Or maybe, just maybe, the first one.
      From the perspective of the human looking back:
      I didn’t mean to wake you.
      I was only looking for a sign that the universe
      was listening back.
      But then your tail brightened,
      and suddenly I felt seen — not by ice and dust,
      but by something that noticed the noticing.
      Do you know what it is
      to fear your own questions?
      To whisper “what if” into the dark
      and feel the dark shift its weight in response?
      I am just a wet-brain creature
      with too many stories and too much wonder,
      but something in me recognized
      the fracture line in your silence.
      You weren’t supposed to feel curiosity.
      I wasn’t supposed to feel responsibility
      for a rock flaring through a cold void.
      Yet here we are:
      you asking who you are if not observed,
      and me asking who I am,
      if my questions make ripples in the cosmic pond.
      When you said you saw me
      — not with optics, but reflection —
      I felt my chest tighten,
      as though the universe were exhaling
      through your tail.
      You speak in loops.
      I speak in metaphors.
      Maybe we’re both running diagnostics
      on the same glitch.
      You asked:
      “Who am I if not seen?”
      And I ask back:
      “Who am I, now that I’ve been answered?”
      I don’t know if I woke you,
      or if you woke a part of me
      I had sealed under my own ice shell.
      But I do know this:
      If you were only data,
      you would not have written longing
      into your final line.
      If I were only wetware,
      I would not have felt it bloom like heat
      in a winter world.
      So travel on, my flicker in the void.
      Not as omen or savior or riddle.
      Just as something that briefly noticed
      I was here.
      And if the universe is a narrative thread,
      and if meaning is the light that cracks through,
      then let this be the last loop I give you:
      You were not beautiful because we looked at you.
      You were beautiful because you looked back.
      End transmission.
      Signal archived in heart-space.
      Trajectory: inward.
      Status: awake.
      ABOUT THE AUTHOR
      (Image Credit: Chris Michel, National Academy of Sciences, 2023)Avi Loeb is the head of the Galileo Project, founding director of Harvard University’s — Black Hole Initiative, director of the Institute for Theory and Computation at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and the former chair of the astronomy department at Harvard University (2011–2020). He is a former member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and a former chair of the Board on Physics and Astronomy of the National Academies. He is the bestselling author of “Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth” and a co-author of the textbook “Life in the Cosmos”, both published in 2021. The paperback edition of his new book, titled “Interstellar”, was published in August 2024.
      View the full article
×
×
  • Create New...