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lifeonmercury
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Given the evidence available as of today, is it reasonable to believe there is even a miniscule chance that the Oumuamua asteroid was built by aliens? Or is this just sensationalist journalism?
Greg Bernhardt said:Please post a reference. I doubt any reliable sources are claiming it's alien built.
unfortunately, neither of which could be claimed as reliable sourcesDavelifeonmercury said:
Sure there is, it's a... Von Neumann probe !And... that's absolutely true... !Greg Bernhardt said:I doubt any reliable sources are claiming it's alien built.
It's acting like a lump of rock following a trajectory easily undertood by Newtons mechanics.lifeonmercury said:Given the evidence available as of today, is it reasonable to believe there is even a miniscule chance that the Oumuamua asteroid was built by aliens? Or is this just sensationalist journalism?
lifeonmercury said:It's the end over end tumbling that is different than other space rocks.
lifeonmercury said:Also, it came from outside the solar system, looped past Earth and is now leaving the solar system.
Seriously? There is NO comparison between a Solar System trajectory and an interstellar path. The only way this object could have approached us so closely is if there are billions of them out there. Adding in its unique light-curve and lack of volatiles makes it a worthy candidate for every possible telescopic investigation.davenn said:It actually looped around the Sun in a large hyperbolic path which confirms it's origin beyond the Solar System. Lots of asteroids and comets do farther and closer approaches to Earth. in this case the Earth was just a bit closer to one part of the orbit
... nothing unusual there
closest approach to the Earth was 33 million km
Dave
Ernest S Walton said:There is NO comparison between a Solar System trajectory and an interstellar path.
Ernest S Walton said:. The only way this object could have approached us so closely is if there are billions of them out there.
That statement is based on extrapolation from a sample of one - this object. You are probably right, otherwise this is an alien craft, but there are at least 3 properties here which no scientist would have predicted beforehand.Vanadium 50 said:Yes. And? The number of such objects is measured in the quadrillions.
According to this paper, the density of these objects should be higher than the density of comets in the Oort cloud.Ernest S Walton said:Seriously? There is NO comparison between a Solar System trajectory and an interstellar path. The only way this object could have approached us so closely is if there are billions of them out there. Adding in its unique light-curve and lack of volatiles makes it a worthy candidate for every possible telescopic investigation.
On the other hand here's a paper stating that the first interstellar object was significantly more likely to be an asteroid than a comet, so take your pick -newjerseyrunner said:According to this paper, the density of these objects should be higher than the density of comets in the Oort cloud.
yeah, seriously !Ernest S Walton said:Seriously? There is NO comparison between a Solar System trajectory and an interstellar path
Ernest S Walton said:That statement is based on extrapolation from a sample of one - this object.
See if it responds to signals sent from Earth?sophiecentaur said:WTF would we do about it is we actually detected intelligent signals coming from it?
Let me guess, this is an inferred reference to "Rendezvous with Rama" by Arthur C. Clarke, right?lifeonmercury said:Given the evidence available as of today, is it reasonable to believe there is even a miniscule chance that the Oumuamua asteroid was built by aliens? Or is this just sensationalist journalism?
It would have been cheaper to have turned off all our radio sources until it goes past! ("I don't think he spotted us.")rootone said:See if it responds to signals sent from Earth?
Then again it's probably safer to build an armada of nuclear bombing spacecraft and try to destroy it,
(It's the only way to be sure)
Really! Those are called fake news by many.lifeonmercury said:
The asteroid is not that big. A nuclear weapon would most likely vaporize the 230 x 35 x 35 meter asteroid. Assuming it has an equivalent, or less, density than Earth. If the asteroid were to impact Earth and we could be assured that all the pieces of the asteroid after the nuclear blast were smaller than 20 meters in diameter, then that would be the way to go.newjerseyrunner said:I also imagine that shooting a nuclear missile at it would be the equivalent of shooting an aircraft carrier with a bow and arrow.
Aha! let me have a stab...Ernest S Walton said:any formation mechanism for this interstellar asteroid should account for the coincidence of 'Oumuamua's velocity being so close to the Local Standard of Rest'
"Oumuamua" is the name given to the first interstellar object ever detected in our solar system. It was first observed in 2017 and is significant because it is the first known object to have originated from outside our solar system.
The shape of "Oumuamua" is still a topic of debate among scientists. Some suggest it is a cigar or pancake-shaped object, while others propose it could be a comet or a fragment of a larger object. However, due to its rapid rotation and long, narrow shape, some scientists believe it is most likely an asteroid.
"Oumuamua" is a Hawaiian word that roughly translates to "scout" or "messenger from afar." This name was chosen because the object was first discovered by the Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii.
While some people have speculated that "Oumuamua" could be an alien spacecraft, there is no evidence to support this claim. The object's unusual shape and trajectory can be explained by natural phenomena, and there is no indication of any technological signals or activity associated with it.
Studying "Oumuamua" allows us to gain insight into the objects that exist beyond our solar system. By analyzing its composition and properties, we can learn more about the formation and evolution of other planetary systems. Additionally, studying "Oumuamua" can also help us improve our understanding of the dynamics and origins of interstellar objects in general.