Oumuamua

[Cius]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ʻOumuamua

So astronomers have found the first true interstellar object travelling through our solar system.

It seems to have originated from the direction of the Vega constellation. The strange thing is it seems to be a very elongated rock rather than a roundish shape, which in my mind implies we are about to be visited by our first aliens in a pointy space craft.

 

[Scooby_Doo]

Would have been awesome if we could have captured it for study.

 

[grok]

Or this one was the one we should've landed on..

 

[Cius]

They are already trying to figure out if there is anything more we can do with it. Would be awesome of we could get a sample from it.

 

[Binary_Bark]

Reminds me of this:

 

[maumau]

At first glance I thought you were calling me - but see you misspelt my name

 

[Nerfherder]

The flat earthers must be going mad.

 

[Spizz]

The flat earthers must be going mad.

Not at all. It only missed us because Earth was side on to its approach

 

[Drifter]

If you read the Wiki link, they are considering a mission to this thing. Would be cool.

 

[Nuro]

The Ramans do everything in threes...

 

[Ancalagon]

They should have named it Rama.

 

[Arthur]

Don't be fooled. As usual they're lying to us. This is what it really looks like, and they're coming to mine the solar system:

 

[Urist]

I want to say something clever, from what ive learnt from kerbal space program.
To put something in intercept orbit will probably take many years but maybe with a tiny probe and enough fuel.... we can make Jeb plant a flag

 

[Urist]

intetcept it at its apoapsis and then fire retrograde thrusters!

 

[Aquila ka Hecate]

intetcept it at its apoapsis and then fire retrograde thrusters!

I assume that was a joke.

 

[Urist]

I assume that was a joke.

Only if its a bad idea.

 

[Aquila ka Hecate]

Only if its a bad idea.

It's a hyperbolic orbit - apoapsis is at infinity effectively.

Anyway, I was hoping for something more like this:

 

[Genisys]

Interesting comments in this thread.

 

[garyc]

It's a hyperbolic orbit - apoapsis is at infinity effectively.

Anyway, I was hoping for something more like this:

View attachment 479050

Apparently our visitor has the same aspect ratio.

 

[Aquila ka Hecate]

Apparently our visitor has the same aspect ratio.

Break out the apes with bone tools!!