I am quite sure that you know the Solar System’s Planets like the Earth, Mars and Jupiter. But have you heard about Oumuamua? It is the first known interstellar object detected passing through the Solar System. Formally called 1I/2017 U1, it was discovered by Robert Weryk using the Pan-STARRS telescope at Haleakalā Observatory, Hawaii, on 19 October 2017, approximately 40 days after it passed its closest point to the Sun on 9 September. When it was first observed, it was about 33 million km (21 million mi; 0.22 AU [Astronomical Units]) from Earth (about 85 times as far away as the Moon), and already heading away from the Sun. Oumuamua is a small object estimated to be between 100 and 1,000 meters (300 and 3,000 feet) long, with its width and thickness both estimated to range between 35 and 167 meters (115 and 548 feet) respectively. It was traveling at 60,000 mph (96,560.64 km/h). That’s over 2000 times faster than Usain Bolt. Now while leaving the Solar System, it has developed even more speed. It has left the Solar System in Jan 2018 and its speed during that time was over 196,000 mph (315,431.424 km/h). That’s almost a thousand times faster than a Ferrari. It is estimated to travel 500 million miles a year. It has a red colour, similar to objects in the outer Solar System. Despite its close approach to the Sun, Oumuamua showed no signs of having a coma. It has exhibited non‑gravitational acceleration, potentially due to outgassing or a push from solar radiation pressure. Nonetheless, the object could be a remnant of a disintegrated rogue comet (or exocomet), according to astronomer Zdenek Sekanina. It could also be part of a planet. It is believed to be made of frozen nitrogen. Oumuamua has come from the direction of the star Vega from the constellation Lyra. This object’s unique cigar shaped texture and reddish colour has fascinated astronomers everywhere. But they are still scratching their heads about what this object is made of, how it came and how it sped up and went.
