NASA has activated planetary defense monitoring protocols after the mysterious interstellar object 3I/ATLAS began displaying unusual light and movement patterns near the Sun.

Axar.az reports that the object, initially classified as a comet, has been added to the United Nations–endorsed International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) list of potential threats, marking the first time an interstellar visitor has ever been tracked under planetary defense procedures, according to the Daily Mail.

Scientists say 3I/ATLAS is behaving unlike any known comet, featuring an “anti-tail”, a jet of particles pointing toward the Sun, and unpredictable shifts in its trajectory. In response, the IAWN will conduct a global observation exercise from November 27, 2025, to January 27, 2026, synchronizing telescopes worldwide to refine tracking and prediction methods.

Although NASA insists this is a “training exercise”, online speculation surged after users noted that “every telescope from Mauna Kea to Chile” was being aimed at the object.

Adding to the intrigue, Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb suggested that 3I/ATLAS’s strange maneuvering near the Sun might reflect an intentional gravity-assisted trajectory change — similar to how spacecraft use the Oberth effect to accelerate.

Earlier images from NASA’s James Webb Telescope and Mars probes revealed that the object emits its own light and contains nickel, raising speculation that it could be artificial or spacecraft-like. Still, NASA and the IAWN maintain there is no imminent threat and the monitoring is purely precautionary.