Updated Trajectory and Spectral Insights into 3I/ATLAS: A Definitive Case for Natural Astrogeological Origins

AKM Eahsanul Haque

As seen in the most recent August 2025 Hubble imagery, the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS makes a strong case for its natural astrogeological origins, which is consistent with my previously published hypothesis that it is a lithified clastic fragment from an exoplanetary sedimentary basin. With an eccentricity of ~1.2 and an inclination of ~44°, refined trajectory data confirms a gravitational ejection from the thick disk of the Milky Way, including close approaches to Jupiter (0.36 AU), Mars (0.4 AU), and Venus (0.7 AU) that were driven entirely by natural dynamics and not by any engineered maneuvers, as implied by Dr. Avi Loeb's unsubstantiated claims of artificial light emission or nuclear-powered propulsion. In addition to lacking spectral evidence, Loeb's claims—including recent conjectures about self-luminescence from a Manhattan-sized nucleus—contradict the CO2-dominated coma outgassing at about 70 kg/s that SPHEREx detected in mid-August, which suggests geological sublimation from trapped volatiles rather than exotic technology. Spectroscopic analysis at wavelengths between 0.5 and 5 µm shows a red slope of about 27%/kÅ, which is biased toward organic-rich silicates and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Absorption features at 1.9 and 2.4 µm indicate gypsum-like sulfates from evaporative deposits, while 2.3 and 2.5 µm indicate calcite carbonates from aqueous precipitation—minerals representative of sedimentary processes in a water-altered exoplanetary environment. The lack of metallic signatures and water vapor further disproves Loeb's extraterrestrial story because these characteristics are similar to compacted sedimentary layers going through thermal fracturing, with dust mass loss rates of 6–60 kg/s for particles ranging in size from 1–100 microns indicating natural weathering over billions of years. This geological legacy is highlighted by Hubble's teardrop-shaped coma and faint tail, which were photographed on August 7. The nucleus size is limited to 0.32–5.6 km, favoring a small, ice-embedded sedimentary core. This evidence highlights the superiority of astrogeology as an explanation, dispelling Loeb's unfounded hype. Intensified observations will amplify hydrated mineral bands at ~3–4 µm as perihelion approaches on October 30 at 1.4 AU, confirming the sedimentary basin model and dismissing extraterrestrial conjectures. In the end, these revisions validate 3I/ATLAS as a geological artifact, enhancing our understanding of far-off worlds via rigorous science.