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7 of the Oddest Things about 'Oumuamua Other than Its Name
interestingengineering.com/ ^ | December, 28th 2018 | Christopher McFadden

Posted on 12/29/2018 7:47:52 AM PST by BenLurkin

1. We have absolutely no idea where it came from

2. We don't really know what it looks like

...tumbling through space and appears to be, more or less, cigar-shaped.... about 10 times longer than its width.

..object's brightness (or amount of reflected sunlight) varied by a factor of 10 every eight hours or so. This strongly implies that 'Oumuamua has an extremely elongated shape.

3. 'Oumuamua got a little speed boost as it approached us

Observations from the Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based observatories noticed that its acceleration increased which slightly changed its course from what was initially predicted.

“Our high-precision measurements of Oumuamua’s position revealed that there was something affecting its motion other than the gravitational forces of the Sun and planets,"

"This additional subtle force on ‘Oumuamua likely is caused by jets of gaseous material expelled from its surface. This same kind of outgassing affects the motion of many ..."

4. It's the first interstellar object we've managed to observe

5. We don't really know what it's made of

...some scientists have considered classifying the object as an asteroid. But, as described above, it may have kicked off some dust particles and/or gases, giving rise to a small speed boost at some point during its approach.

We do know that it is highly reflective. Especially given its relatively small size.

When compared to other solar system-type asteroids 'Oumuamua is at least ten times more reflective.

6. It's not going to stay around

7. It shows we are not really prepared for future Earth impacts

Its apparent near-Earth trajectory was also something of a worry. Whilst we've 'gotten away with this one', if it had hit Earth, it would have easily erased an entire city.

(Excerpt) Read more at interestingengineering.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Science
KEYWORDS: asteroid; asteroids; astronomy; aviloeb; harvard; oumuamua; science; yurimilner
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1 posted on 12/29/2018 7:47:52 AM PST by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

Who gave it that idiotic name?


2 posted on 12/29/2018 7:52:17 AM PST by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: BenLurkin

“4. It’s the first interstellar object we’ve managed to observe”

Seriously? Really?

There is something being left out of that statement that would make it true.


3 posted on 12/29/2018 7:53:57 AM PST by NotQuiteCricket (I hate when green goes red and then black.)
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To: BenLurkin

In a universe of unfathomable size and age anything is possible.


4 posted on 12/29/2018 7:54:23 AM PST by Seruzawa (TANSTAAFL!)
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To: DesertRhino

“Who gave it that idiotic name?”

Maybe the guy who discovered it, when he first saw it, said “Ooooh, Mama!!!” and it stuck?


5 posted on 12/29/2018 7:56:53 AM PST by LouieFisk
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To: DesertRhino

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQrQjNNZCAo


6 posted on 12/29/2018 7:57:38 AM PST by MV=PY (The Magic Question: Who's paying for it?)
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To: NotQuiteCricket

“...orbiting within our solar system”. (Which may or may not be true.)


7 posted on 12/29/2018 7:57:42 AM PST by Pete from Shawnee Mission
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To: BenLurkin
We don't really know what it's made of

It is composed of all the firearms and ammunition lost in boating accidents.
8 posted on 12/29/2018 7:58:23 AM PST by Army Air Corps (Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
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To: BenLurkin

8) it had a twin on a different course and further away.


9 posted on 12/29/2018 8:00:31 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
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To: DesertRhino

An astronomer saw it and said “Oh mama!”
The lab writers for the observatory gave it a weird spelling.


10 posted on 12/29/2018 8:01:11 AM PST by MrEdd (Caveat Emptor)
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To: DesertRhino
Who gave it that idiotic name?

I thought it looked Hawaiian and I was right. Scroll down to "Nomenclature."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ʻOumuamua

11 posted on 12/29/2018 8:01:52 AM PST by Menehune56 ("Let them hate so long as they fear" (Oderint Dum Metuant), Lucius Accius (170 BC - 86 BC))
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To: BenLurkin

This additional subtle force on ‘Oumuamua likely is caused by jets of gaseous material expelled from its surface. This same kind of outgassing affects the motion of many ...”


Steering jets work the same way for course corrections ...


12 posted on 12/29/2018 8:01:54 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
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To: DesertRhino
Sounds like a Hawaiian flower or fish 🐠
13 posted on 12/29/2018 8:02:23 AM PST by Truthoverpower (The guvmint you get is the Trump winning express !)
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To: PIF

Seriously? I would like to know more about that.


14 posted on 12/29/2018 8:03:54 AM PST by Army Air Corps (Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
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To: BenLurkin

All these mysteries will be clarified when the alpha predator who sent them arrives ...


15 posted on 12/29/2018 8:04:53 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
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To: BenLurkin
"Oumuamua"?

Help me out here.

Wrestler or football player?

16 posted on 12/29/2018 8:05:19 AM PST by x
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To: NotQuiteCricket
“4. It’s the first interstellar object we’ve managed to observe”

Seriously? Really?

There is something being left out of that statement that would make it true.

Other than gas clouds illuminated by stars and black holes, which are only "observable" by their gravitational influence and occasional gravity waves. I suppose he should have said "discrete object not gravitationally bound to a particular star". It certainly appears to be gravitationally bound to the Milky Way. There are stars that are not. Of those stars about 6/7's have been ejected by interaction with other stars, and one-seventh appear to be intergalactic visitors.

17 posted on 12/29/2018 8:06:14 AM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (Schumer delenda est.)
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To: BenLurkin
1. We have absolutely no idea where it came from
2. We don't really know what it looks like

It's a real-time analog of 'last days' confusion.

18 posted on 12/29/2018 8:08:59 AM PST by Ezekiel (All who mourn(ed!) the destruction of America merit the celebration of her rebirth.)
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To: BenLurkin

Some of the oddest things about obama, other than his name.
1. We have absolutely no idea where it came from. He says Hawaii. We know Kenya.
2. We don’t really know what it’s like. The media gave us a false image of him.
5. We don’t really know what it’s made of. Certainly not human.
6. It’s not going to stay around. Unfortunately, it stayed around too long.
7. It shows we were not really prepared for an America-hating muzzy-loving marxist.


19 posted on 12/29/2018 8:10:42 AM PST by I want the USA back (There are two sexes: male (pronoun HE), and female (pronoun SHE). Denial of this is insanity.)
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To: Army Air Corps

Much too small.


20 posted on 12/29/2018 8:12:52 AM PST by null and void (The Deep State is why even though our economy is booming, the stock market is losing ground.)
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