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Scientists have learned more about 'Oumuamua, the hunk of matter that is the first known interstellar object to be detected by the solar system. Specifically, observations carried out by researchers using the Spitzer Space Telescope and published in the Astronomical Journal have determined that priority observations may be made even more generous.
While prior observations by the University of Hawaii's Pan-STARRS 1 telescope, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, and ground-based observation stations determined that 'Oumuamua was no longer than 2,600 feet (800 meters) long, NASA wrote in a statement, the Space Telescope Spitzer recently failed to see the object in the infrared spectrum over the course of a two-month survey. Based on various models of what, exactly, it is 1.440 feet (440 meters), and it can actually be as small as 320 feet (100 meters).
These numbers refer to the object's "spherical dimensions," or how large it would be if it was a sphere-though it is currently believed to be shaped like a cigar
NASA wrote:
The fact that 'Oumuamua was too faint for Spitzer to detect sets a limit on the total surface area. However, since the non-detection can not be used to infer shape, Oumuamua's diameter would have been spherical. Spazer's non-detection limited 'Oumuamua's spherical diameter' to 1,440 feet (440 meters), 460 feet (140 meters) or perhaps as little as 320 feet (100 meters) . Oumuamua's composition, which influences how visible (or faint) it was appearing to be a particular size.
As Ars Technica noted, the new observations on 'Oumuamua support the theory that it is indeed a natural object, rather than a bizarre interstellar probe scanning for data of relevance to its unknown extraterrestrial masters. Scientists have found that 'Oumuamua appears to have been slowed down by the solar system and was affected by the sun's gravity.
That could be explained by solar radiation through the void, a process called outgbading that could act as a de facto propulsion mechanism. NASA noted, it is related to 'Oumuamua being' comparatively smaller than typical solar system comets. "The study also found that the object" may be up to 10 times more reflective than the comets that reside in our solar system, "NASA wrote, because we could have accumulated a lot of things in our lives."
"'Oumuamua has been full of surprises from day one, so we were eager to see what Spitzer might show, "lead author David Trilling, an astronomy professor at Northern Arizona University, said in the NASA statement. "
According to NASA, this is probably the last that Earth scientists will ever learn about the object, because there is no doubt that it is see it.
"Usually, if we get a measurement from a comet that's kind of weird, we're back to what we're seeing," Davide Farnocchia co-authort of the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab's Center for Near Earth Object Studies, said in the statement. "But this one is gone forever; we are probably going to know we are going to know. "
[NASA via Ars Technica]
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