Scientists indicate that the cigar-shaped object has many complex factors. It could be a spacecraft from extraterrestrial beings, due to its characteristics that differ from those of comets.
In October 2017, astronomer Robert Weryck and colleague Marco Micheli from the European Space Agency (ESA) discovered the cigar-shaped object that flew past the Sun on September 9 of that year, at a speed of approximately 315,000 km/h, quickly heading out of the Solar System.
By calculating its trajectory, they determined that this object must have originated from outside the Solar System. Initially labeled as a comet and later as an asteroid, this cigar-shaped object presents traits that perplex scientists.
The unusual trajectory of Oumuamua has drawn scientists’ attention. (Image: BBC).
Specifically, scientists estimate it has a length of no more than 914 m and a width of approximately 121 m. Overall, this rusty-colored cigar-shaped object is about 7 times longer than it is wide and rotates on its axis every 7.4 hours, according to NBC News. This is undoubtedly an unprecedented anomaly, leading to its nickname “Oumuamua”, meaning “first distant messenger” in Hawaiian.
After analyzing its trajectory, astronomers believe that Oumuamua came from the direction of the constellation Lyra, which contains the bright star Vega. Upon entering the Solar System, this object veered toward the Sun due to gravitational assist, passing by Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. If it continues on this trajectory, it will reach the constellation Pegasus.
However, as it sped away, scientists discovered that Oumuamua was accelerating unusually. In a paper co-authored by Micheli for the journal Nature, he and other astronomers concluded that something was affecting Oumuamua’s trajectory and speed.
Co-author Davide Farnocchia from the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) suggested that the unusual speed is the result of natural gas jets emitted from its surface (known as outgassing), functioning like a propulsion system on a spacecraft.
However, it is noteworthy that Oumuamua is believed to be completely hollow inside. Karen Mectors, another co-author of the paper and an astronomer at the University of Hawaii, along with ESA scientist Olivier Hainaut, both agreed that this object shows no signs of gas escape. Therefore, the aforementioned hypothesis lacks validity.
The cigar-shaped object is made of material that is very rare in the universe. (Image: Getty Images).
Additionally, some recent findings suggest that this object’s size is much smaller than initially estimated. Specifically, according to the latest estimates, Oumuamua is only about 458 m long with a width of no more than 121 m. Upon closer inspection, the shape of this object resembles a pancake more than a cigar.
Some scientists believe that Oumuamua is composed of solid nitrogen, a type of ice seen on the surface of Pluto and its moon Triton. Meanwhile, others argue that this is highly unlikely as pure nitrogen is extremely scarce in the universe.
Ultimately, astronomer Avi Loeb from Harvard University posits that Oumuamua is a form of technology from extraterrestrial beings. It could be an old probe or a sail, explaining its unusual acceleration as it leaves the solar system.
