### 1. New Trajectory Data and NGA Confirmation

The most significant news today confirms that 3I/ATLAS is indeed experiencing **non-gravitational acceleration (NGA)**—a small, extra push that is altering its path beyond the mere pull of the Sun's gravity.

* **ESA Pinpoints Path:** Today, the [European Space Agency (ESA) announced](https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Planetary_Defence/ESA_pinpoints_3I_ATLAS_s_path_with_data_from_Mars) it has successfully used data from its ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter to triangulate the comet's position. This has improved the accuracy of its predicted path by a factor of 10, providing a crucial test of planetary defense capabilities.

* **The Cause of the Debate:** This NGA, first detected by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in late October and early November, is the primary source of the recent scientific debate.

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### 2. The Competing Theories for the Movement

There are two main explanations for the object's unusual movement.

#### **Theory 1: Natural Comet (Mainstream View)**

This is the overwhelming scientific consensus. The NGA is attributed to **cometary outgassing**.

* **How it Works:** As 3I/ATLAS gets closer to the Sun, its ices heat up and burst out as jets of gas and dust. This "rocket effect" gives the object a gentle push, causing the non-gravitational acceleration.

* **Strong New Evidence:** This theory was massively strengthened by a November 12 report:

* **First Radio Signal Detected:** The [MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa detected](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/interstellar-object-3i/atlas-mystery-solved-astronomers-detect-first-radio-signal-revealing-its-origins/articleshow/125280624.cms) the first-ever natural radio signal from 3I/ATLAS.

* **"Smoking Gun" for Water:** The signal was identified as emissions from **hydroxyl radicals (OH)**. This is a clear and direct sign that water ice is being broken down by sunlight, providing powerful evidence that 3I/ATLAS is a natural, water-rich comet behaving as expected.

* **Visible Tail:** Contradicting some social media claims, the [Virtual Telescope Project shared new images](https://www.virtualtelescope.eu/2025/11/11/interstellar-comet-3i-atlas-aka-c-2025-n1-atlas-the-ion-tail-is-getting-longer-11-nov-2025/) on November 11 showing the comet's ion tail "getting longer," which is consistent with outgassing.

#### **Theory 2: Artificial Object (Avi Loeb's Hypothesis)**

Harvard astrophysicist Dr. Avi Loeb, who famously suggested 'Oumuamua could be artificial, is the primary voice proposing a technological origin for 3I/ATLAS.

* **Loeb's Latest Claim:** In an [article published today](https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/harvards-avi-loeb-claims-3i-atlas-could-artificial-if-no-gas-cloud-seen-1754979), Loeb stated his new benchmark. He argues that if astronomers fail to detect a substantial gas cloud or cometary tail in December—one large enough to be responsible for the observed acceleration—then the "artificial" hypothesis must be taken seriously.

* **His Reasoning:** Loeb has previously pointed to the object's blueish color and a perceived lack of a massive tail as anomalies that challenge the natural comet model, though other astronomers have offered natural explanations for these (such as the viewing angle or the presence of ionized carbon monoxide).

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(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5798104&forum_id=2#49431302)