NASA: Small space objects from another Solar system spotted

A relatively small object has been spotted by NASA on October 19, by the University of Hawaii's Pan-STARRS 1 telescope on Haleakala, Hawaii, during the course of its nightly search for near-Earth objects for NASA

author-image
shambhudeep hore
Updated On
New Update
NASA: Small space objects from another Solar system spotted

A relatively small object has been spotted by NASA on October 19 (Representative image)

Ever thought how would it be like to even see one of the most dreaded celestial objects from another star approaching the earth the direction of which is unclear? NASA may have the answer. 

A relatively small object has been spotted by NASA on October 19, by the University of Hawaii's Pan-STARRS 1 telescope on Haleakala, Hawaii, during the course of its nightly search for near-Earth objects for NASA

The object appears to have been originated from outside the Earth's solar system but has not yet been confirmed whether it is an asteroid or commet. 
It would be the first "interstellar object" to be observed and confirmed by astronomers.

The object has been designated as A/2017 U1 is about 400 metres in diametre and is moving at a pace moving much higher than normal. 
Astronomers around the world are working to place telescopes to ascertain the path of orgination of the object.

Once the path is ascertained it will be more easier to identify the composition of the  A/2017 U1.  
The object was first spotted by Rob Weryk, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy (IfA). "Its motion could not be explained using either a normal solar system asteroid or comet orbit," he said.   

"This is the most extreme orbit I have ever seen," said Davide Farnocchia, a scientist at NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

"It is going extremely fast and on such a trajectory that we can say with confidence that this object is on its way out of the solar system and not coming back."

NASA asteroid spacerock nasa jet propulsion lab Hawaii Institute for Astronomy Center for Near-Earth Object Studies commet