Category: Space > Oumuamua
In October 2017, astronomers detected an unusual object named 'Oumuamua, which became the first known interstellar visitor to our solar system. This elongated, cigar-shaped asteroid, measuring about 800 meters long, traveled from beyond our solar system at a speed of approximately 315,000 kilometers per hour (196,000 miles per hour). What makes Oumuamua particularly fascinating is not just its origins but also its strange behavior; as it passed close to the Sun, it exhibited a slight acceleration that scientists could not explain solely by gravitational interactions, leading to various theories. Some researchers have even speculated that Oumuamua could be a probe sent by an extraterrestrial civilization, although the more widely accepted explanation is that it is a natural object with a unique composition, possibly made of hydrogen ice or reflecting sunlight in unexpected ways. The mystery of Oumuamua continues to spark debate and curiosity in the scientific community, highlighting the many secrets our universe still holds.