Explained: After two in two years, an annual interstellar visit now? | Explained News, The Indian Express

Explained: After two in two years, an annual interstellar visit now? | Explained News, The Indian Express

By Express News Service |New Delhi |Updated: September 27, 2019 9:44:04 am

Explained: After two in two years, an annual interstellar visit now?

After centuries of never having had a known interstellar visitor, Earth has had two in two years. Astronomers Gregory Laughlin and Malena Rice, however, were not exactly surprised, Yale University said in a statement.

An artist’s concept of interstellar asteroid 1I/2017 U1 (‘Oumuamua) as it passed through the solar system after its discovery in October 2017. Observations of ‘Oumuamua indicate that it must be very elongated because of its dramatic variations in brightness as it tumbled through space. (Image credit: European Southern Observatory / M. Kornmesser)

In October 2017, astronomers spotted the first interstellar object known to pass through the Solar System, and named it ‘Oumuamua’. It gave rise to initial speculation that it was an alien spaceship, but scientists have since concluded that ‘Oumuamua likely has properties similar to a comet.