Mysterious Space Object “Oumuamua Not Alien” What Scientists say ?
In 2017, astronomers discovered an object speeding through our solar system, which they named “Oumuamua”. Its unique shape and unusual trajectory sparked speculation that it could be an alien spacecraft. However, subsequent studies have shown that a mysterious object is most likely a natural object, albeit an unusual one.
Oumuamua was first detected on October 19, 2017, by the Pan-STARRS1 telescope in Hawaii. Its name means “scout” or “messenger” in Hawaiian, and it was given this name because it was the first interstellar object ever observed in our solar system.
One of the most intriguing features of Oumuamua is its shape. It is long and thin, with a shape resembling a cigar or a needle. This is unusual for a natural object, as most asteroids and comets are irregularly shaped. Some scientists even suggested that the object could be an alien spacecraft, as its shape could be optimized for interstellar travel.
However, subsequent studies have shown that Oumuamua is most likely a natural object. The first clue came from its trajectory. Oumuamua entered our solar system from outside, and it was moving too fast to be captured by the Sun’s gravity. This means that it is most likely an interstellar asteroid rather than an alien spacecraft.
Another clue came from its composition. Observations by the Spitzer Space Telescope showed that Oumuamua is a dark, reddish object, similar in color to some objects in our own solar system. This suggests that it is most likely made of rock and metal rather than an artificial object.
Recent studies have also shed light on Oumuamua’s unusual shape. One study, published in Nature in 2018 suggested that the object could be a “monolithic, elongated, pancake-shaped object”, rather than a cigar or a needle. The study used data from multiple telescopes to study Oumuamua’s brightness, color, and shape and concluded that it could be a flat object, similar to a frisbee or a pancake.
Another study, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters in 2019, suggested that Oumuamua could be a fragment from a larger body that was shattered by a collision. The study used computer simulations to show that a collision could produce an object with Oumuamua’s unusual shape and trajectory.
While these studies have provided some insight into Oumuamua’s origin and composition, there are still many unanswered questions. For example, it is not clear how common interstellar asteroids like Oumuamua are, or how they are formed. It is also possible that future observations of Oumuamua could reveal more surprises, and perhaps even shed light on the mysteries of interstellar space.
In conclusion, the mysterious space object Oumuamua is most likely a natural object, rather than an alien spacecraft. Its unusual shape and trajectory have sparked scientific curiosity and speculation, but subsequent studies have shown that it is most likely an interstellar asteroid. While there is still much to learn about this object, its discovery has opened up new avenues of research into the mysteries of interstellar space.