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arXiv:1907.01910astro-ph.EP

The Natural History of 'Oumuamua

The 'Oumuamua ISSI Team

Abstract

The discovery of the first interstellar object passing through the Solar System, 1I/2017 U1 ('Oumuamua), provoked intense and continuing interest from the scientific community and the general public. The faintness of 'Oumuamua, together with the limited time window within which observations were possible, constrained the information available on its dynamics and physical state. Here we review our knowledge and find that in all cases the observations are consistent with a purely natural origin for 'Oumuamua. We discuss how the observed characteristics of 'Oumuamua are explained by our extensive knowledge of natural minor bodies in our Solar System and our current knowledge of the evolution of planetary systems. We highlight several areas requiring further investigation.

arXiv comments
Published in Nature Astronomy, 01 July 2019. 16 pages, 4 figures, 1 table
Journal reference
DOI
doi:10.1038/s41550-019-0816-x
Subjects
astro-ph.EPEarth and Planetary Astrophysics

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Linked by 2 identifiable commenters in 2 comments across 2 threads, from Jan 2021 to Mar 2023.

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  1. Could UFOs be alien probes? A new 2023 Harvard study explores it [pdf] 1 comment

    • I haven't read that book yet, but if I understand correctly his reasoning for the "space buoy" hypothesis is that Oumuamua's velocity was quite close to the Local Standard of Rest. Is that accurate? At least, that's the reasoning he claims in his "Six Strange Facts…

      stametseaterView on HNParent context

  2. Have we already been visited by aliens? 1 comment

    • Yes I have read them. And don't get me wrong I find some of them interesting. What I consider junk-science and what really irks me is his tendency to just try to suffocate all other possible explanations brushing them off like they have no merit. As I said, I don't think we…

      sailingparrotView on HNParent context

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