Cosmic Wanderer 3I/ATLAS ─ Orbit Align With A Rare 0.2% Chance?

The interstellar object 3I/ATLAS has captured the attention of astronomers due to its unusual and extreme orbit. Moving along a hyperbolic trajectory, the object has an eccentricity of 6.14, an inclination of 175.11°—making it retrograde—and an entry velocity of 61 km/s.

Its hyperbolic excess velocity of 58 km/s ensures that it will leave the solar system, unable to be captured by the Sun’s gravity. Its eccentricity is significantly higher than that of previous interstellar objects, including ‘Oumuamua (1.2) and Borisov (3.4).

The hyperbolic nature of 3I/ATLAS means it is traveling so fast that it merely passes through the solar system, rather than being gravitationally bound. What has particularly intrigued astronomers is its near-ecliptic alignment—within 5°—which is statistically rare for an interstellar object, though not impossible for natural celestial bodies. This unusual alignment has fueled ongoing debates over its origin.

Avi Loeb, the Harvard astrophysicist known for his research on interstellar objects, has raised the possibility of artificial origins. He describes 3I/ATLAS as a potential “Trojan Horse” and emphasizes the unusual orbital characteristics, including the retrograde ecliptic alignment. Loeb points out that this alignment has a mere 0.2% chance of occurring naturally, suggesting the object may be of non-natural origin.