Oumuamua: scientists finally decide on real identity of mysterious interstellar object
6 years, 9 months ago

Oumuamua: scientists finally decide on real identity of mysterious interstellar object

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy After months of speculation about the identity of Oumuamua, or the first “alien” object from outside our solar system, scientists have come to a conclusion about what it is. The space rock first identified by astronomers in November, has been variously described as an asteroid, a new variety of “interstellar object” and even an alien spacecraft. “From theoretical models we were expecting interstellar objects to be mostly cometary, on the basis of the region of the planetary systems where they form,” said Dr Marco Micheli from the European Space Agency “However, Oumuamua did not look as a comet in optical images we obtained, since it did not have a coma or a tail. “Our paper presents the detection of a weak non-gravitational acceleration acting on Oumuamua, which we could explain with a weak emission of material from the object, as comets typically do,” said Dr Micheli.

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History of this topic

Mysterious interstellar object may have altered solar system orbits, study says
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Mysterious interstellar object may have altered solar system orbits, study says

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A massive interstellar object passing through our solar system during its formative years …

An exciting discovery leads to controversy as Harvard scientists collect fragments from interstellar meteor
1 year, 8 months ago

An exciting discovery leads to controversy as Harvard scientists collect fragments from interstellar meteor

ABC  

An exciting discovery has led to controversy after scientists from Harvard University collected fragments believed to belong to a huge interstellar meteor, but PNG officials have raised concerns that the research was conducted within their waters without a permit. Key points: Analysis of the fragments is hoped to reveal whether the meteor was made up of elements different from those …

Meteorite that hit Earth in 2014 was from another solar system: Here’s everything we know about the alien object
2 years, 11 months ago

Meteorite that hit Earth in 2014 was from another solar system: Here’s everything we know about the alien object

Firstpost  

A meteor that hit Earth in January 2014 has now been confirmed by the US Space Command as the first interstellar object that came from another solar system A meteor that hit Earth in January 2014 has now been confirmed by the US Space Command as the first interstellar object that came from another solar system. 6/ “I had the …

The first known interstellar meteor hit Earth in 2014, U.S. officials say
2 years, 11 months ago

The first known interstellar meteor hit Earth in 2014, U.S. officials say

NPR  

The first known interstellar meteor hit Earth in 2014, U.S. officials say U.S. officials confirmed that a space rock that streaked through the skies off the coast of Papua New Guinea in January 2014 was, in fact, an incredibly rare meteor that originated from beyond the solar system. He was studying what was at the time considered the first-known interstellar …

Have Aliens Found Us? First Known Interstellar Object 'Oumuamua Makes Scientists Wonder
3 years, 9 months ago

Have Aliens Found Us? First Known Interstellar Object 'Oumuamua Makes Scientists Wonder

News 18  

On October 19, 2017, astronomer Robert Weryk discovered ‘Oumuamua, the first known interstellar object. Now, scientists estimate that interstellar objects like ‘Oumuamua pass our solar system each year but we are not able to see them because they do not go so close to space. In an opinion piece published in Scientific American, Loeb tries to see ‘Oumuamua in the …

Interstellar object, named Oumuamua, likely a cookie-shaped planet shard, study reveals
4 years ago

Interstellar object, named Oumuamua, likely a cookie-shaped planet shard, study reveals

ABC  

Our solar system's first known interstellar visitor is neither a comet nor asteroid as first suspected and looks nothing like a cigar. Key points: Arizona State University astronomers reported that the strange 45-metre object appeared to be made of frozen nitrogen It was named Oumuamua, Hawaiian for scout, in honour of the observatory in Hawaii that discovered it in 2017 …

'We're Not Alone': Harvard Astronomer is Convinced Alien Has Already Visited Earth
4 years, 1 month ago

'We're Not Alone': Harvard Astronomer is Convinced Alien Has Already Visited Earth

News 18  

Discovering there’s intelligent life beyond our planet could be the most transformative event in human history – but what if scientists decided to collectively ignore evidence suggesting it already happened? '” Prof Loeb, 58, lays out the argument for the alien origins of the object named ‘Oumuamua – “scout” in Hawaiian – in Extraterrestrial: The First Sign Of Intelligent Life …

Space object that entered Earth in 2017 was 'junk' sent to us by aliens, claims Harvard professor
4 years, 2 months ago

Space object that entered Earth in 2017 was 'junk' sent to us by aliens, claims Harvard professor

India Today  

A Harvard University astronomer has said that an extraterrestrial object skimmed through space close to Earth in 2017. Harvard professor Avi Loeb, in his book 'Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth' which is to be published this month, has said it was the first sign of intelligent life outside Earth. According to the marketing summary of the …

Oumuamua: Nature of first known visitor from another solar system is still a mystery, scientists claim
4 years, 7 months ago

Oumuamua: Nature of first known visitor from another solar system is still a mystery, scientists claim

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The nature and origin of Oumuamua, the first known visitor from another solar …

First interstellar body, ‘Oumuamua, seen in our solar system might be a Hydrogen iceberg, say scientists
4 years, 9 months ago

First interstellar body, ‘Oumuamua, seen in our solar system might be a Hydrogen iceberg, say scientists

Firstpost  

The celestial body might not only be the first interstellar object discovered in the solar system but also the first hydrogen iceberg. The first interstellar object in our solar system, the cigar-shaped ‘Oumuamua, has been intriguing astronomers ever since its discovery in 2017. Darryl Seligman, the co-author of the study said, “Even though the hydrogen iceberg thing is a little …

interstellar visitor Oumuamua is a 'ripped fragment' from a destroyed planet
4 years, 11 months ago

interstellar visitor Oumuamua is a 'ripped fragment' from a destroyed planet

Daily Mail  

The strange cigar-shaped Oumuamua space rock discovered in 2017 was ripped from a planet and sent hurtling into space after it came too close to its star. As a planet approaches close to its host start, forces stretch and rip it apart, sending fragments hurtling out into space When it appeared in 2017 Oumuamua became the first visitor from another …

How ‘Oumuamua, first interstellar visitor to our solar system, may have formed
4 years, 11 months ago

How ‘Oumuamua, first interstellar visitor to our solar system, may have formed

CNN  

CNN — The first observed interstellar object blazed through our solar system more than two years ago. After discovery, the object was dubbed ‘Oumuamua, Hawaiian for “a messenger that reaches out from the distant past.” At first, astronomers expected that it was a comet because it was long believed that the first object spotted in our solar system that originated …

Should Earthlings Chase ‘Oumuamua Into Interstellar Space?
5 years ago

Should Earthlings Chase ‘Oumuamua Into Interstellar Space?

Wired  

In October 2017, an asteroid-hunting telescope in Hawaii detected something unusual. The group announced Project Lyra just two weeks after ‘Oumuamua’s discovery and in May, Acta Astronautica will publish the updated version of their proposed mission to chase down the asteroid. “The possible scientific return would be tremendous and might fundamentally alter our understanding of our place in the universe.” …

The 2010s were stellar for space and science discoveries. Or should we say, ‘interstellar?’
5 years, 3 months ago

The 2010s were stellar for space and science discoveries. Or should we say, ‘interstellar?’

CNN  

CNN — As humans, we’re motivated by curiosity and a desire to know more. Rovers found water on Mars; new species were discovered on Earth; two interstellar visitors zipped through our solar system; some of the earliest human fossils changed history; and twin astronauts helped scientists understand what the human body can withstand in space – among many other intriguing …

Expect more interstellar object sightings in our solar system, researchers say
5 years, 6 months ago

Expect more interstellar object sightings in our solar system, researchers say

CNN  

CNN — Astronomers have spotted two interstellar objects to our solar system in the last two years, and that’s just the beginning. Researchers believe that in the future, we can expect to see several large objects that originated outside of our solar system zipping through it. But of the 4,000 confirmed planets outside of our solar system, called exoplanets, most …

2nd interstellar visitor to our solar system confirmed and named
5 years, 6 months ago

2nd interstellar visitor to our solar system confirmed and named

CNN  

CNN — An unusual object detected streaking across the sky last month was a comet that originated outside our solar system, observations have confirmed, becoming only the second observed interstellar object to cross into our solar system. European Southern Observatory This image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey shows the galaxy J0437+2456, which includes a supermassive black hole at its …

Three years on scientists confirm Oumuamua not alien spaceship, can't identify it
5 years, 8 months ago

Three years on scientists confirm Oumuamua not alien spaceship, can't identify it

Firstpost  

After investigating the nature of a mysterious and apparently cigar-shaped object called ‘Oumuamua spotted in 2017 speeding through our solar system, astronomers remain uncertain over how to classify it, but are confident it is not an alien spaceship. Its odd shape and motion had prompted some scientists to wonder whether ‘Oumuamua - the first object from another star system found …

Oumuamua: Scientists perplexed by mysterious space rock as they try to rule out ‘alien spaceship’ idea
5 years, 9 months ago

Oumuamua: Scientists perplexed by mysterious space rock as they try to rule out ‘alien spaceship’ idea

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. ‘Oumuamua was first spotted in October 2017, and was quickly identified as the first interstellar object ever …

This interstellar visitor was not an alien spacecraft, researchers say
5 years, 9 months ago

This interstellar visitor was not an alien spacecraft, researchers say

CNN  

CNN — On October 19, 2017, the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawaii spotted something strange zooming through our solar system. It was the first observed object from outside our solar system, according to a study published in the journal Nature – and, as the researchers call it, an “oddball.” “What we found was a rapidly rotating object, at least the …

Supposed alien spaceship ‘Oumuamua shows how we anthropomorphize the universe.
6 years, 2 months ago

Supposed alien spaceship ‘Oumuamua shows how we anthropomorphize the universe.

Slate  

It is part of the human experience to slowly realize we are each an isolated mind in a sea of other isolated minds, and then to spend our lives trying to cross the mighty gulfs between ourselves and others, striving to make a connection. The interstellar origin and the possible cigarlike shape of ‘Oumuamua instantly recalled Arthur C. Clarke’s novel …

Harvard astronomer defends theory interstellar object could have been alien spacecraft
6 years, 2 months ago

Harvard astronomer defends theory interstellar object could have been alien spacecraft

ABC  

The chairman of Harvard University's astronomy department has defended his controversial claim that an interstellar object that passed through our solar system could have been "of artificial origin". Key points: In October 2017, NASA said the recently discovered visitor appeared "to have originated from outside the solar system" Two Harvard astronomers said it could have been a discarded light sail, …

Oumuamua: Nasa reveals more about mysterious 'alien spacecraft' asteroid
6 years, 4 months ago

Oumuamua: Nasa reveals more about mysterious 'alien spacecraft' asteroid

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Nasa has revealed more about Oumuamua, the piece of space rock so strange …

Scientist who discovered 'Oumuamua space object says it is not an alien probe
6 years, 4 months ago

Scientist who discovered 'Oumuamua space object says it is not an alien probe

ABC  

The scientist who discovered a mysterious cigar-shaped space object says suggestions by Harvard astronomers it is an alien probe are "wild speculation". Key points: 'Oumuamua was first detected using the Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii last year Harvard astronomers suggested the object could be a light sail from an alien craft However, the scientist who found it says it is a …

Fact check: Is Oumuamua, a cigar-shaped rock that entered solar system, an alien spacecraft?
6 years, 4 months ago

Fact check: Is Oumuamua, a cigar-shaped rock that entered solar system, an alien spacecraft?

The Hindu  

A scientific paper led by two researchers at Harvard University made a splash this week by claiming that a cigar-shaped rock zooming through our solar system may have been sent by aliens. The researchers noted in a pre-print of the article that it was an “exotic scenario”, but that “Oumuamua may be a fully operational probe sent to the earth …

Oumuamua: Did an alien spaceship just pass through our solar system? It's unlikely, experts say
6 years, 4 months ago

Oumuamua: Did an alien spaceship just pass through our solar system? It's unlikely, experts say

ABC  

Experts have expressed scepticism about claims from two Harvard astronomers who say an interstellar object that passed through our solar system in late 2017 and early 2018 could have been part of an alien spacecraft. Key points: Study suggests 'Oumuamua is not an "active comet" and could be a "discarded light-sail of extra-terrestrial origin" The interstellar object was first discovered …

Oumuamua: Asteroid that flew past Earth could have been a spacecraft sailing past us, Harvard scientists suggest
6 years, 4 months ago

Oumuamua: Asteroid that flew past Earth could have been a spacecraft sailing past us, Harvard scientists suggest

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The mysterious rock that flew past Earth could actually have been an alien …

Oumuamua leaves the solar system and its scientists with more questions than answers
6 years, 5 months ago

Oumuamua leaves the solar system and its scientists with more questions than answers

Firstpost  

‘Oumuamua brought to light that space rocks are likely a spectrum rather than a binary: Researchers. The interstellar space-rock ‘Oumuamua that did a fly-by Earth earlier this year has left our solar system, but not the systems of scientists that were studying the rock. “If it’s an asteroid, then it’s really unusual, with exotic scenarios for its formation.” The rock …

An ‘interstellar object’ comes calling
6 years, 8 months ago

An ‘interstellar object’ comes calling

The Hindu  

‘Oumuamua, the first interstellar object discovered in the solar system in October 2017, is moving away from the sun faster than expected. The original observations indicated a 230-metre-long, elongated, tiny object whose colour was similar to that of a comet and whose extremely eccentric orbit too led the International Astronomical to classify it as one. “We think that ‘Oumuamua may …

Astronomers classify the mysterious interstellar object ‘Oumuamua as a comet
6 years, 9 months ago

Astronomers classify the mysterious interstellar object ‘Oumuamua as a comet

Firstpost  

Oumuamua was first detected last October by the University of Hawaii’s Pan-STARRS1 telescope. The reddish cigar-shaped object called ‘Oumuamua spotted last year tumbling through space is a comet, scientists said on 27 June, solving the mystery over how to classify the first interstellar object found passing through our solar system. “It does not display any tail in any observation we …

Mysterious interstellar visitor 'Oumuamua appears to be a comet after all
6 years, 9 months ago

Mysterious interstellar visitor 'Oumuamua appears to be a comet after all

ABC  

Our first ever visitor from interstellar space left a trail of mystery in its wake when it zipped past late last year. Key points: 'Oumuamua is a Hawaiian word meaning "a messenger from afar arriving first" It is the first object from another solar system we've detected It was unclear whether it was a comet or an asteroid. It did …

What exactly was this ‘interstellar visitor’?
6 years, 9 months ago

What exactly was this ‘interstellar visitor’?

CNN  

Story highlights 'Oumuamua is the first interstellar object observed in our solar system It acts more like a comet than an asteroid CNN — In October, a cigar-shaped interstellar visitor nicknamed ‘Oumuamua was spotted tumbling through our solar system at 85,700 miles per hour. Astronomer Marco Micheli and his colleagues used the observations of ‘Oumuamua’s motion as it traveled through …

'Alien asteroid' might be the oldest object in the solar system
6 years, 10 months ago

'Alien asteroid' might be the oldest object in the solar system

ABC  

An "alien asteroid" that circles the sun in the giant gas planet Jupiter's orbital path, but hurtling in the opposite direction, is the first-known permanent resident of our solar system that astronomers have concluded originated in another star system. "It is a strong candidate for the oldest object in the solar system," said astronomer Fathi Namouni of Observatoire de la …

This object isn’t supposed to be in our solar system
6 years, 10 months ago

This object isn’t supposed to be in our solar system

CNN  

Story highlights An object that was formed outside of our solar system has been discovered orbiting Jupiter The object is an exo-asteroid called 2015 BZ509 CNN — For billions of years, it lived in our solar system without us even knowing it was there. The researchers call this exo-asteroid, known as 2015 BZ509, an “interstellar immigrant.” It’s known as an …

Stolen from another sun: This backward-traveling asteroid could be an interstellar space fossil
6 years, 10 months ago

Stolen from another sun: This backward-traveling asteroid could be an interstellar space fossil

LA Times  

Scientists have discovered an immigrant in our midst: an asteroid near Jupiter’s orbit that arrived from outside the solar system some 4.5 billion years ago. “It means we can do measurements in the solar system and find material that formed, probably, around some other star.” The sun-circling orbit of asteroid 2015 BZ509, nicknamed BeeZed, is tied to the orbit of …

Scientists see the first confirmed alien object in our own solar system
6 years, 11 months ago

Scientists see the first confirmed alien object in our own solar system

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Scientists have seen the first alien object flying through our own solar system. …

Huge, mysterious object flying past Earth might be an alien spacecraft, scientists say
6 years, 11 months ago

Huge, mysterious object flying past Earth might be an alien spacecraft, scientists say

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A huge object that flew past Earth might be an alien spacecraft, scientists …

Oumuamua: First alien object to visit our solar system is wrapped in strange organic coat, scientists reveal
6 years, 11 months ago

Oumuamua: First alien object to visit our solar system is wrapped in strange organic coat, scientists reveal

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “In the end this was a nice result because we’ve expected all along that the majority of …

Oumuamua: Alien asteroid sent flying into our solar system had 'violent past'
7 years, 1 month ago

Oumuamua: Alien asteroid sent flying into our solar system had 'violent past'

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The first ever alien visitor from outside our solar system was …

WHAT IS 'OUMUAMUA AND WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT?
7 years, 1 month ago

WHAT IS 'OUMUAMUA AND WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT?

Daily Mail  

A cigar-shaped object named 'Oumuamua sailed past Earth at 97,200mph in October. But the asteroid's slightly red hue — specifically pale pink — and varying brightness are remarkably similar to objects in our own solar system. But scientists from Queen’s University Belfast took a good look at the object and said it appears to be an asteroid, or ‘planetesimal’ as …

How I discovered the origins of the cigar-shaped alien 'asteroid' 'Oumuamua
7 years, 2 months ago

How I discovered the origins of the cigar-shaped alien 'asteroid' 'Oumuamua

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Research has already helped us learn a lot about ‘Oumuamua’s rare cigar-like shape, what it’s …

What is the buzz about the new ‘interstellar object’?
7 years, 3 months ago

What is the buzz about the new ‘interstellar object’?

The Hindu  

The cigar-shaped rocky object, our first visitor from another solar system is continuing to throw new surprises and is keeping astronomers on their toes. On December 18, scientists from Queen's University, UK published a letter in Nature, stating that the interstellar object that whizzed past our sun in October is made up of icy interiors and carbon-rich surfaces. According to …

Interstellar 'comet' Oumuamua is just a crusty old rock
7 years, 3 months ago

Interstellar 'comet' Oumuamua is just a crusty old rock

Daily Mail  

Earlier this month, a skyscraper-sized space rock floated into our solar system, sparking claims that it was a spacecraft sent by extraterrestrials. Scroll down for video A skyscraper-sized space rock which floated into our solar system has withstood the intense heat of the sun because it is coated in a special crust, a new study suggests OUMUAMUA A cigar-shaped comet …

Oumuamua: First results from scientists scanning mysterious object don't yet show evidence it is an alien spacecraft
7 years, 3 months ago

Oumuamua: First results from scientists scanning mysterious object don't yet show evidence it is an alien spacecraft

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Scientists scanning a mysterious object that flew past Earth to see if it …

Oumuamua: What you need to know about the first alien visitor to our solar system
7 years, 3 months ago

Oumuamua: What you need to know about the first alien visitor to our solar system

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Further work by observatories across the world came to pinpoint the asteroid as the first we've ever …

The Physics Behind the Strange Interstellar Asteroid 'Oumuamua
55 years, 3 months ago

The Physics Behind the Strange Interstellar Asteroid 'Oumuamua

Wired  

For the first time, humans have detected an interstellar asteroid—a space rock they're calling 'Oumuamua, which is a Hawaiian word meaning "scout." But on top of that, this asteroid has a really interesting shape: It's very long and skinny, with a width to length ratio of about 1 to 10. If you want to learn the answers to more "how …

Oumuamua: First interstellar object observed from Earth has an ‘unusual’ cigar shape
7 years, 4 months ago

Oumuamua: First interstellar object observed from Earth has an ‘unusual’ cigar shape

Hindustan Times  

The first interstellar object spotted racing through our Solar System last month has an “unusual” elongated, cigar shape and is red in colour, astronomers say. Scientists who studied images of the object said in a study – published in Nature – that there are “few objects of comparable size in our solar system”. “For decades we’ve theorized that such interstellar …

Meet ‘Oumuamua, the first observed interstellar visitor to our solar system
7 years, 4 months ago

Meet ‘Oumuamua, the first observed interstellar visitor to our solar system

CNN  

Story highlights A strange visitor to our solar system has been identified as an interstellar asteroid It's zooming through our solar system and will leave in 2019 CNN — On October 19, the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawaii spotted something strange zooming through our solar system. It is the first observed object from outside our solar system, according to a …

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