3I/ATLAS emerges with unusual tail that keeps changing

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3I/ATLAS emerges with unusual tail that keeps changing
Ariana Garcia
Mon, November 10, 2025 at 9:05 PM EST
4 min read



Astronomers captured Comet 3I/ATLAS in the pre-dawn sky, revealing its unusual, multiplumed tail as it reemerges from behind the Sun. (Michael Buechner, Frank Niebling)


Astronomers are catching new glimpses of the strange interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS as it re-emerges into the predawn sky after passing behind the Sun in late October. Images show the comet with a surprisingly complex tail, drawing renewed attention and speculation about its nature.

On Sunday, Frank Niebling and Michael Buechner photographed the comet from Spain. "Interstellar Comet 3I Atlas at 09.11.2025 shows nice tail structures despite interference from moonlight (82 % illuminated) and a small height of around 9 to 12 degrees a try on comet 3I Atlas," Niebling said. "The picture is heavily processed to show the antitail and the 'smoking' tail."



Comet 3I/ATLAS reappears in the predawn sky, showing a strange, complex tail in new images. (Michael Buechner, Frank Niebling)


Amateur astronomers across Europe have reported similar sightings. Michael Jaeger of Austria, who has been tracking 3I/ATLAS since Nov. 4, captured a spray of four or five plumes. "We have something unusual to report," Jaeger told SpaceWeather.com. "3I/ATLAS showed a complex tail structure early this morning (Nov. 8th)."

Jaeger noted that during the exposure, the comet was just 7 to 10 degrees above the horizon. By the end, twilight began to interfere with visibility, and the observation was made under bright moonlight from a mountaintop location. He confirmed that the comet remains on its predicted trajectory.

"The astronometry showed that it continues to follow the ephemeris," he said. "The residuals were better than 1 arc second. It hasn't slowed down or released any small spaceships."

Alberto Quijano Vodniza's photos from the same morning suggest that "the tail's structure may be changing from day to day," according to SpaceWeather.com.

The comet's unusual jets have fueled speculation that it may not be entirely natural. Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb points out that 3I/ATLAS is ejecting far more gas and dust than sunlight alone can explain. "Houston, we have a problem with the natural comet hypothesis!" he wrote.

Loeb suggests two possibilities: the comet might have fragmented near the Sun, increasing its surface area and explaining the mass loss, or, if it remains intact, it could be artificially propelled, with technological thrusters producing the jets. "Technological thrusters require a much smaller mass loss in order to produce the observed jets around 3I/ATLAS," he wrote.

SpaceWeather.com emphasizes the unusual nature of the comet's tail and the possibility of artificial propulsion, though current observations show it continues to follow a standard cometary orbit.



Astronomers catch Comet 3I/ATLAS emerging from the Sun's glare, showing a weird, complex tail. (M. Jäger, G. Rhemann, E. Prosperi)


3I/ATLAS on Oct. 3 made a close pass, coming within about 18.6 million miles, by Mars and several of the planet's orbiters. NASA has not yet released images from the encounter due to the government shutdown. On Oct. 29, the comet reached its closest point to the Sun, approximately 126 million miles away, and is now moving back out of the solar system. Its nearest approach to Earth is expected around Dec. 19, at roughly 167 million miles.

Between Nov. 2 and 25, the European Space Agency's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) will observe 3I/ATLAS, likely capturing the comet in an especially active state. Data from JUICE are expected in February 2026.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/3i-atlas-emerges-unusual-tail-020512272.html