Posted on 10/27/2017 2:50:50 PM PDT by Red Badger
Astronomers around the world are trying to track down a small, fast-moving object that is zipping through our solar system. Is a comet? An asteroid? NASA's not sure. The space agency doesn't even know where it came from, but it's not behaving like the local space rocks and that means it may not be from our solar system. If that's confirmed, NASA says "it would be the first interstellar object to be observed and confirmed by astronomers."
NASA says astronomers are pointing telescopes on the ground and in space at the object to get that data. For now, the object is being called A/2017 U1. Experts think it's less than a quarter-mile (400 meters) in diameter and it's racing through space at 15.8 miles (25.5 kilometers) per second. It was discovered October 19 by the University of Hawaii's Pan-STARRS 1 telescope on Haleakala, Hawaii. Rob Weryk, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy, was the first to identify the object and immediately realized there was something different about it. "Its motion could not be explained using either a normal solar system asteroid or comet orbit," he said. "This object came from outside our solar system." Whatever "it" is, the object isn't a threat to Earth.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Klaatu barada nikto.
Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator.
“There’s no point in acting surprised about it. All the planning charts and demolition orders have been on display at your local planning department in Alpha Centauri for 50 of your Earth years, so you’ve had plenty of time to lodge any formal complaint and it’s far too late to start making a fuss about it now. … What do you mean you’ve never been to Alpha Centauri? Oh, for heaven’s sake, mankind, it’s only four light years away, you know. I’m sorry, but if you can’t be bothered to take an interest in local affairs, that’s your own lookout. Energize the demolition beams.”
From the direction of the constellation Lyra.
It's been cruisin' along the Milky Way since 1962...
Way to slow to be a visitor from another planet. It would need to be magnitudes faster. Like 4 hours from here to Saturn fast.
Mark Sherman: Not very. I just work for them. On loan. Sort of like a library book. No, actually I'm with SETI. Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
Bell: You attached to National Security?
Sherman: Not very. I just work for them.
Bell: So they're sending you guys out on meteorites now?
Sherman: Only when they change course.
Bell: Change course? Can they do that?
Sherman: This one did. So they tell me. Twice.
Either that or some airhead over at NORAD misread a glitch on his monitor. It also came down slower than suborbital speed. So, naturally, they decided to fire some missiles at it.
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We can rest assured that there is nobody aboard!
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Don’t panic!
I love those books!
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But did he ever reurn?
No, he never returned,
and his fate is still unlearned...
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The Ramadans always do things in threes.
Mine are not loose lips, but count on CNN to get it wrong and you’ll very rarely be disappointed.
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Fireball XL5! Fond memories from childhood.
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