Interstellar Object – Astronomy Now

Interstellar comet 2I/Borisov may be most pristine ever seen

31 March 2021 Astronomy Now

The interstellar comet 2I/Borisov may be the most pristine ever observed, astronomers say, an untarnished remnant of another star’s nursery.

’Oumuamua was a unique object. Now astronomers think there could be trillions just like it

14 April 2020 Keith Cooper

The mysterious interstellar object 1I/‘Oumuamua, and trillions of others like it, could have formed when its parent body was pulled apart by gravitational tides from a star, resulting in elongated shards being ejected into interstellar space.

Interstellar Comet 2I/Borisov sports 160,000-kilometre-long tail

27 November 2019 Astronomy Now

As interstellar Comet 2I/Borisov nears its closest point to the Sun on 8 December, a long tail of icy debris has formed stretching some 160,000 kilometres.

Hubble observes interstellar visitor

16 October 2019 Stephen Clark

The Hubble Space Telescope has returned an image of a comet that originated outside our Solar System, providing astronomers with their best view yet of an interstellar visitor.

Newly discovered comet likely from interstellar space

13 September 2019 Astronomy Now

A newly-discovered comet is barreling into the solar system at a velocity that indicates it likely came in from interstellar space. Researchers are working on confirmation.

Interstellar asteroid captured by Sun in distant past

23 May 2018 Astronomy Now

Astronomers analyzing the retrograde motion of an asteroid orbiting the Sun at Jupiter’s distance shows the body most likely originated in another star system and was captured by the gravity of the Sun and its planets at some point in the distant past.

An interstellar interloper is dashing through our solar system

22 November 2017 Stephen Clark

Astronomers say an object observed speeding through our solar system last month has an unexpected cigar-like shape and originated from another star, making it the first confirmed interstellar asteroid.

Small asteroid or comet ‘visits’ from beyond the Solar System

29 October 2017 Astronomy Now

A small, recently discovered asteroid — or perhaps a comet — appears to have originated from outside the Solar System, coming from somewhere else in our galaxy. If so, it would be the first “interstellar object” to be observed and confirmed by astronomers.