'Oumuamua: First extrasolar object spotted?

[Brian G Turner]

New Scientist reports on the discovery of a comet that could have originated from outside of our solar system: We may have just seen the first comet from another solar system

In the meantime, we've lost track of hundreds of others inside our solar system - including 135 that pass close to Earth: A 300-kilometre space rock has vanished since we saw it in 1995

 

[Alexa]

Skywatchers will be busy for the next couple of weeks.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Here's more directly from the JPL website, with an animation showing the apparent track: News | Small Asteroid or Comet 'Visits' from Beyond the Solar System

 

[Alexa]

Damn it ! I wish I were that asteroid or comet and go as fast through this Universe and finally find out what's hiding behind.

 

[Brian G Turner]

More on this story, as astronomers try to pin down its origin: Tracking the first interstellar asteroid back to its home star

 

[LordOfWizards]

The gravitational pull of our sun adjusted its sharply curved path, flinging it back out of our solar system at a new angle, never to return again.

Good riddance! (Pesky asteroids! )

 

[Venusian Broon]

Good riddance! (Pesky asteroids! )

Well, if it was really a comet, then it was a dirty snowball not a rocky asteroid.


I suppose our sun is just having a snowball fight with other star systems.

 

[LordOfWizards]

I suppose our sun is just having a snowball fight with other star systems.

 

[Brian G Turner]

It's been designated as an asteroid, named Oumuamua, and officially classified as the first interstellar object: Interstellar visitor given a name

 

[Serendipity]

Oumuamua is unusually elongated - about 10 times longer than wide... this is one real weirdo... see Bizarre shape of interstellar asteroid

 

[Paul_C]

Interstellar object confirmed to be from another solar system

 

[J Riff]

Not from another solar system. A chunk of this one, hanging around all these millenia. Bet the ranch. Does Vegas have odds on it?

 

[Brian G Turner]

The BBC follows up, this time with an artist's impression: Bizarre shape of interstellar asteroid

 

[Harpo]

Sixteen years too late, Mr Clarke!

 

[Alexa]

Nope. Just on time. Eyes of the Chrons are on you !

I like the meaning of the asteroid's name, 'Oumuamua "a messenger from afar arriving first".

 

[Cli-Fi]

New Scientist reports on the discovery of a comet that could have originated from outside of our solar system: We may have just seen the first comet from another solar system

In the meantime, we've lost track of hundreds of others inside our solar system - including 135 that pass close to Earth: A 300-kilometre space rock has vanished since we saw it in 1995

I bet stuff like this is responsible for some of the "cigar-shaped," UFOs documented in the 1800s.

 

[J Riff]

'From another solar system" what does that mean? Is it visiting? Is it going home? What solar system, the nearest one?> This is hype to get you to read the article - that's a giant ET cigarshoppe ship, from some solar syatem or other. Maybe.

 

[Alexa]

I bet stuff like this is responsible for some of the "cigar-shaped," UFOs documented in the 1800s.

And admit UFO do not exist ? Poor Scully and Mulder.

 

[Alexa]

'From another solar system" what does that mean? Is it visiting? Is it going home? What solar system, the nearest one?> This is hype to get you to read the article - that's a giant ET cigarshoppe ship, from some solar syatem or other. Maybe.

Hard to answer when we only have telescopes and observe them.

 

[Vertigo]

Call me pedantic but I hate the sloppy use of "solar system." There is, and can only be, one solar system and that is the one with the star called Sol at it's centre (the clue is in the name). The solar system is one example of a stellar system.