WASHINGTON - Scientists are closely monitoring 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar object, as it exhibits unusual behavior after passing its closest point to the sun.

What’s so weird about 3I/ATLAS?

What we know:

3I/ATLAS passed perihelion on Oct. 29, coming within 203 million kilometers of the sun, according to Harvard theoretical physicist Dr. Avi Loeb. It exhibited what Loeb says was "non-gravitational acceleration" and became bluer than the sun, which is atypical for comets.

The object appears to lack a cometary tail, which is surprising given its proximity to the sun. New images show a blob of light rather than the expected tail, raising questions about its composition and origin.

What we don't know:

The exact nature of 3I/ATLAS remains unclear. Some scientists are speculating that it

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