Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Meet 'Oumuamua! The 1st Interstellar Visitor Ever Seen Gets a Name
Space.com ^ | November 15, 2017 04:57pm ET | Mike Wall,

Posted on 11/16/2017 10:52:10 AM PST by BenLurkin

The IAU also approved an official scientific designation for 'Oumuamua: 1I/2017 U1. This is a first-of-its-kind moniker; the "I" stands for "interstellar." Previously, small objects like 'Oumuamua have received standard comet or asteroid designations, which sport a "C" or "A," respectively, in place of the "I."

'Oumuamua was first spotted on Oct. 19, by astronomers using the Pan-STARRS1 telescope in Hawaii. The smallish object was first classified as a comet but then regarded as an asteroid, after further observations revealed no evidence of a coma (the fuzzy cloud of gas and dust that surrounds a comet's core).

Analysis of 'Oumuamua's trajectory soon revealed that it was on a hyperbolic path — that is, one that will take it out of the solar system. And the object doesn't seem to have had any gravitational encounters with planets that could have nudged it onto such a path, which strongly suggests that 'Oumuamua came from interstellar space, researchers have said.

Astronomers have determined that 'Oumuamua made its closest pass by the sun on Sept. 9 and then zoomed within 15 million miles (24 million kilometers) of Earth on Oct. 14 — about 60 times the distance from our planet to the moon. The object is now barreling toward the outer solar system at about 98,400 mph (158,360 km/h) relative to the sun, researchers have said.

Though 'Oumuamua's composition is unknown, the object is probably more ice than rock, Matthew Holman, director of the Minor Planet Center (MPC) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, told Space.com last month. That's because bodies that form on the outskirts of solar systems — and are therefore most likely to get booted into interstellar space — tend to be icy, Holman said.

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


TOPICS: Astronomy; Science
KEYWORDS: amirsiraj; asteroid; astronomy; aviloeb; c2017u1; catastrophism; harvard; hyperbolic; interstellar; interstellarobject; jasonwright; oumuamua; science; shmuelbialy; yurimilner
Okay, whose bright idea was it to name thisthing "Yo Mama"?
1 posted on 11/16/2017 10:52:10 AM PST by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

The first interstellar visitor and they have to make it unpronounceable. Now I have to say “that comet” and no one will know what I’m talking about. It’s like naming someone “Hey You”.


2 posted on 11/16/2017 10:59:43 AM PST by Telepathic Intruder
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

hahahhahahahagasphahahahaha...


3 posted on 11/16/2017 11:04:27 AM PST by Bethaneidh
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Could a rocket catch up with it? Find out what it’s made of? Maybe bring it to earth? If it would agree to Drain the Swamp of corrupt politicians, I’d let it take over


4 posted on 11/16/2017 11:08:36 AM PST by faithhopecharity (“Politicians aren’t born, they’re excreted.” - Marcus Tillius Cicero (106–43 BCE))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
probably more ice than rock

Where would the water come from to create the ice?

5 posted on 11/16/2017 11:10:49 AM PST by Hot Tabasco
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: faithhopecharity

I think it is long gone. Going super fast as it passed through.


6 posted on 11/16/2017 11:11:46 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

My first thought, too!


7 posted on 11/16/2017 11:13:01 AM PST by Pearls Before Swine (White is the new Black.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: faithhopecharity
If it would agree to Drain the Swamp of corrupt politicians, I’d let it take over

You have problems with carbon rods?


8 posted on 11/16/2017 11:13:10 AM PST by C210N (It is easier to fool the people than convince them that they have been fooled)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: faithhopecharity

[ Could a rocket catch up with it? Find out what it’s made of? Maybe bring it to earth? If it would agree to Drain the Swamp of corrupt politicians, I’d let it take over ]

If you had fusion power and a decent ship you could land on one of these interstellar asteroids and build a colony inside of it and only need to adjust it’s course to basically hyjack an interstellar asteroid as a makeshift colony ship.

Just stay in it and adjust it’s course to fly it to another star system...


9 posted on 11/16/2017 11:13:53 AM PST by GraceG ("It's better to have all the Right Enemies, than it is to have all the Wrong Friends.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Hot Tabasco

Not water ice; gas ice, probably methane, possibly CO2.


10 posted on 11/16/2017 11:19:43 AM PST by Little Pig
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Pearls Before Swine; BenLurkin

https://www.google.com/search?q=Mau+Mau&num=30&safe=off&client=ubuntu&hs=rx7&channel=fs&source=lnms&tbm=vid&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiInNnA68PXAhVpqlQKHWY1BWUQ_AUIDCgD&biw=1547&bih=779

It is a slap at Obama.


11 posted on 11/16/2017 11:36:24 AM PST by LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget (God punishes Conservatives by making them argue with fools. Go Trump!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Relax, its just a probe. The one with the stellar nova bomb comes later ...


12 posted on 11/16/2017 11:55:29 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hot Tabasco

Water, a very simple molecule including two atoms of the most common element, is probably present everywhere in the universe. The tails of comets are partly water vapor trails and it’s possible much if not all of the water on Earth was deposited by comet impacts that occurred over eons of time.


13 posted on 11/16/2017 1:50:46 PM PST by katana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: PIF
Relax, its just a probe.

That's what my doctor said prior to my last prostate biopsy............

14 posted on 11/16/2017 2:06:43 PM PST by Hot Tabasco
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
Oumuamua is Vulcan for 'Planet Destroying Comet that Liberals will ask $700 trillion to save humanity.' 😀
15 posted on 11/16/2017 4:25:37 PM PST by Deplorable American1776 (Proud to be a DeplorableAmerican with a Deplorable Family...even the dog is, too. :-))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
We should have expected someone to come calling after beaming 100 years of music into space…
16 posted on 11/18/2017 12:23:39 PM PST by mikrofon (Weekend BUMP)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Thanks BenLurkin.



17 posted on 11/23/2017 10:17:55 AM PST by SunkenCiv (www.tapatalk.com/groups/godsgravesglyphs/, forum.darwincentral.org, www.gopbriefingroom.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson