According to NASA's report, the radial acceleration from the Sun is 135 kilometers per day squared, while the transverse acceleration relative to the direction toward the Sun is 60 kilometers per day squared.
The uniqueness of the maneuver of 3I/ATLAS lies in the fact that such changes in its trajectory cannot be explained solely by gravitational forces, which sets it apart from other interstellar bodies ever observed.
Astrophysicist Avi Loeb from Harvard previously suggested in his blog that 3I/ATLAS might be following a "strange trajectory," using gravitational acceleration to perform a maneuver similar to that of a slingshot, utilizing the energy of another celestial body.
Loeb also expressed regret that it is currently impossible to observe 3I/ATLAS from Earth, raising questions about whether its trajectory was calculated by extraterrestrial intelligence.
According to the scientist, the object has already passed halfway through the Solar System; however, changes in its trajectory have reignited debates about its possible extraterrestrial origin.
Calculations indicate that on December 19, 2025, 3I/ATLAS will approach Earth at a minimum distance of 267 million kilometers, after which its path will become purely gravitational. This will allow astronomers to more accurately determine its origin and composition.
3I/ATLAS was first detected on July 1, 2025, using the ATLAS survey telescope in Chile. It is classified as an interstellar comet, as it is not bound to the Sun: its orbit is hyperbolic, and after passing by our star, it will permanently leave the Solar System.
This object has become the third known interstellar body observed in the Solar System, following 1I/Oumuamua (2017) and comet Borisov (2019).
