Interstellar object Oumuamua tumbling chaotically

Behind the Black ^ | February 12, 2018 | Robert Zimmerman

[Voption]

A new analysis of the data obtained when the interstellar object Oumuamua flew through the solar system in October 2016 suggests that it is tumbling in a chaotic manner, and that the surface is spotty....Dr Fraser explains: “Our modelling of this body suggests the tumbling will last for many billions of years to hundreds of billions of years before internal stresses cause it to rotate normally again."

[RideForever]

Point of curiosity. Is this the Oumuamua found in the song ‘The Bird is the Word’?

[C210N]

Tumbling chaotically? Clearly now, Hank Johnson was on to something... an asteroid is just a big island in the sea of space.

[17th Miss Regt]

Omorosa was fired. What bargaining power does she really have?

[PIF]

From the article:
"A new analysis of the data obtained when the interstellar object Oumuamua flew through the solar system in October 2016 suggests that it is tumbling in a chaotic manner, and that the surface is spotty."

"Straight away, they discovered that ‘Oumuamua wasn’t spinning periodically like most of the small asteroids and bodies that we see in our solar system. Instead, it is tumbling, or spinning chaotically, and could have been for many billions of years.

"While it is difficult to pinpoint the exact reason for this, it is thought that `Oumuamua impacted with another asteroid before it was fiercely thrown out of its system and into interstellar space.

"To me, this data settles the question about whether Oumuamua is not an artificial structure. It is not. If it were, an impact that would have caused this kind of tumbling would have almost certainly destroyed it."

"As for the object’s spottiness:
Dr Fraser explains: “Most of the surface reflects neutrally but one of its long faces has a large red region. This argues for broad compositional variations, which is unusual for such a small body.”

---

In the first statement he assumes he knows the object's composition and original shape. He also assumes the object suffered an impact - which would have been sever enough to cause it to shatter had it been artificial. This seems sort of circular reasoning without any proof one way or another, managing to arrive at the conclusion which agrees with the model "we are alone".

The second statement he admits the composition is unusual, which in other words says again he has not a clue about what the composition actually or why the object has the shape it does.

This leads me to believe the doctor is arguing to keep up his professional reputation and for more grant money to study the problem, about which he has drawn a bunch of assumptions and reached conclusions. Or how science seems to be practiced in public these days.

It definitely would not do to admit there could be a possibility that the object and its further out identical companion are something other than just random chance ... Oh wait - best not mention the companion object - just forget I mentioned it. OK? There, all better now.

[CurlyDave]

...To me, this data settles the question about whether Oumuamua is not an artificial structure. It is not. If it were, an impact that would have caused this kind of tumbling would have almost certainly destroyed it...

Alternatively it could be artificial and have suffered a propulsion or attitude control system failure...

[Vermont Lt]

Maybe they are on their way to Zegema Beach. And they are drunk.

[onedoug]

Muy interesante.

Gracias para su entrado.

[Little Pig]

Interesting. I hadn’t seen any mention of a second one, and I watch for things like that. Is the second still inbound, or is it only “second” because we spotted it after this one even though it came through first? Is it on the same trajectory (i.e. is it perhaps another remnant of the same collision)?

[ThePatriotsFlag]

“Our modelling of this body suggests the tumbling will last for many billions of years to hundreds of billions of years before it finally hits earth, bouncing off of Newark, causing it to rotate normally again." (Fixed it!) /S

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Oumuamua

Who thinks up these names!

[humblegunner]

without even clicking through to the article.

Is this your own blog?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Voption.

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Earlier topics, some with a dash of crazy:

• Researchers observe the first known interstellar comet
• This mystery object may be our first visitor from another solar system
• Meet 'Oumuamua! The 1st Interstellar Visitor Ever Seen Gets a Name
• First interstellar asteroid is like nothing seen before
• ESO Observations Show First Interstellar Asteroid is Like Nothing Seen Before
• Solar System's First Interstellar Visitor Dazzles Scientists
• Project Lyra, a Mission to Chase Down that Interstellar Asteroid
• Alien Probe or Galactic Driftwood? SETI Tunes In to 'Oumuamua [pronounced 'Yo Mama']
• Has an alien probe entered our solar system? Cigar-shaped interstellar 'comet' ...
• Leading Astronomers: Oumuamua Is 'Alien Probe With Broken Engines,' Could Have Hostile Intentions
• Scientists Reveal Interstellar Object 'Oumuamua' Has Organic Shell

[chud]

A remnant from the fleet of our Annunaki overlords.

[Waverunner]

Or the soul of the ex science fiction writer who must not be named dropping back by for a looksy at how fictionology is doing.

[Voption]

Thank you greatly. (I like those type of visualizations, gives me a better sense of the 3-dimensionality of Space.)
Is that from JPL?

[Voption]

I am pleasantly surprised with the high-level of discourse with only a tinge of wackiness, and just for fun.
I applaud you all!
totally tangential— Article in the WSJ last week, about how the YouTube algorithm sends you down esoteric rat-holes, surprisingly fast, especially with flat-earth et-al, stuff.
(I’d link to it, but its behind the paywall.

[Voption]

(I should not, have put it that way.)

Full Disclosure-”nope,” I don’t have a dog in any of those hunts, but I am partial to 1/2 a dozen+ websites/blogs, Political & Space-related.
(So, you’ll see me suggesting from a limited universe; partial to CATO, REASON, MISES, etc., and folks such as Richard Epstein, Hayek, Rothbard, Jordan Peterson, Crowder, Rubin, Owen Benjamin, Ben Shapiro, Robert Zimmerman, Dr. Space, etc.)

[Voption]

“fictionology”— I love that! can I use it?

[Defiant]

I was here just to point that out. I think the object is just surfing the solar system.

[minnesota_bound]

#8 Looks like someone’s pool shot.
Thor to Zeus: #8 off an asteroid