Was 3I/Atlas a planned visit? Avi Loeb lists evidence suggesting the object entered our solar system on purpose

​The interstellar object 3I/ATLAS has become one of the most talked-about space visitors of the year. It came from outside our solar system, and its size and path have made some scientists curious.

One of the most well-known voices speaking about it is Harvard professor Avi Loeb, who suggests that the object may not be a random wanderer at all. He believes there are a few signs that point to the possibility that 3I/ATLAS could have been “sent” into our solar system on purpose.

Here is a simple breakdown of his reasons.

What Is 3I/ATLAS in Simple Words?

3I/ATLAS is only the third object ever seen coming from another star system. It was spotted on July 1 by a small telescope in Chile. Loeb did not discover it himself, but he paid close attention from the start.

What caught his eye first was how bright the object was. A telescope not very big was able to see it from far away, which made him think the object must be either very reflective or very large.

At first, calculations suggested that if the brightness was coming from a solid surface, the object could be as large as the length of Manhattan Island—far bigger than other interstellar objects that have passed through before.

Why Size Became a Big Question

Previous interstellar visitors, like ‘Oumuamua, were tiny compared to this one. But 3I/ATLAS seemed huge in comparison. Loeb said there are two simple possibilities:

1. It only looks big because it’s surrounded by a thick cloud of gas and dust that reflects sunlight.
2. Or, it really is big, and it might not be just a random rock floating through space.

He also mentioned that an object this large should be extremely rare—maybe appearing once every 10,000 years. Yet here it was, only eight years after scientists began tracking such objects.

Why Avi Loeb Thinks It Might Have Been Directed Toward Us

Another detail that stood out is the path of 3I/ATLAS. Its route through our solar system sits very close to the plane where all the planets orbit. Loeb says this type of alignment would happen by chance only 1 out of 500 times.

Because of this, he briefly wrote in his early research paper that the object may have been aimed toward the inner solar system. The journal told him not to include this line, but he later wrote a separate paper exploring the idea.

So What Does All This Mean?

Loeb isn’t saying this is proof of anything extraordinary. He simply believes the size, brightness, and neat alignment of 3I/ATLAS make it worth asking more questions. Most scientists still think it is a natural comet, but Loeb thinks we shouldn’t ignore unusual patterns.