NASA Data Blackout Deepens Comet ATLAS Mystery

Just weeks after astronomers reported Comet 3I/ATLAS reversing its tail near the Sun, the saga deepened. Sources at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory cite “instrument recalibration” for a temporary blackout of solar probe data, even as several telescopes briefly logged unusual radio bursts along the comet’s path. A viral thread by Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb floated the idea of an “artificial interstellar object,” which NASA called “science fiction.” Leaked emails mention “anomalous” composition readings, and independent observatories reported reflectivity spikes. With ATLAS hidden behind the Sun until mid-November, speculation is surging.