A/2017 U1 Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A/2017_U1. Credit Tony Dunn
orbitsimulator.com (CCA-SA license)
In a previous post, I had dispatched the NASA/JPL information about an interstellar visitor A/2017 U1, now called Oumuamua, that approached our sun on September 9, and whose trajectory took it on a path near Earth, with its closest approach to Earth, within 15 million miles only, on October 14, 2017. Oumuamua came from the direction of the constellation Lyra, at about 57,000 mph (92,000 km/h) relative to the sun, and was observed dashing away at 97,200 mph (156,400 km/h) toward the constellation Pegasus (thus enigmatically increasing its speed by nearly 71%).
On Dec 12, 2017, the BBC science-environment published this news online:
Artwork: Observations of 'Oumuamua’ noted its unusual
elongated shape
The
odd-shaped object was detected as it sped towards the Sun on 19 October.An initiative backed by billionaire Yuri Milner will use a radio telescope to listen for signals from it.
The team's efforts will begin on Wednesday, with astronomers observing the asteroid, which is currently speeding away from our Solar System, across four different radio frequency bands.
The first set of observations at the Robert C Byrd Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia is due to last for 10 hours.
Previous observations of the object, called 'Oumuamua,’ have noted its strange, elongated shape, making it look a bit like a cigar.
Mr Milner's Breakthrough Listen programme released a statement which read: "Researchers working on long-distance space transportation have previously suggested that a cigar or needle shape is the most likely architecture for an interstellar spacecraft, since this would minimise friction and damage from interstellar gas and dust."
Andrew Siemion, director of the Berkeley SETI Research Center, who is part of the initiative, said: "'Oumuamua's presence within our Solar System affords Breakthrough Listen an opportunity to reach unprecedented sensitivities to possible artificial transmitters and demonstrate our ability to track nearby, fast-moving objects."
See also our previous post:
An Interstellar Visitor greatly
interested in Earth – A/2017 U1 (Oct-2017)
