This is a little over a month old, so not exactly a current event, but still super cool. Astronomers have recently discovered an asteroid or comet that did not originate in our Solar System. This is the first visitor to our Solar System ever discovered! How cool is that?!?!? Prior to discovering this object, every known asteroid and comet formed in the Solar System, along with the Sun, planets, and moons. This is the very first object that we now know did not form in our Solar System. This little object formed in a different solar system and was likely flung out, traveling through nearly empty space until it encountered our Solar System. NASA has a great write-up on this that shows the projected future path of this object.
Small Asteroid or Comet 'Visits' from Beyond the Solar System
The object is now heading out of our Solar System, never to return. A brief, but very, very interesting astronomical event! Astronomy never ceases to amaze!
 |
| Past and future path of asteroid/comet originating outside the Solar System. |
No comments:
Post a Comment