The Cigar-Shaped Interstellar Object That Recently Entered Our Solar System Might Not Actually Be An

Image Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser Via GeekWire

Is it just an unusual shaped asteroid or an extraterrestrial space ship? Scientists have named the object "Oumuamua" and it's the first confirmed interstellar body that has been observed in our solar system.

Experts are currently examining Oumuamua to see if it is emitting any radio waves. If so, this could indicate it was created by intelligent beings or there may even be life on-board.

According to an article by WND:

"The Breakthrough Listen Project from Breakthrough Initiatives will begin closely analyzing Oumuamua on Wednesday, listening for any signals across a wide variety of radio waves. The project is funded by Russian billionaire Yuri Milner and will use the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia for the investigation."

Scientists think there is a very low probability the strange cigar-shaped body was deliberately created. Still, it's extremely unusual.

Oumuamua's hypothesized trajectory (Credit: planetary.org)

The Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) lacks a comet-tail and rotates at a great rate of speed without coming apart, which makes it unprecedented in the field of astronomy.

Breakthrough Initiatives believes it is worth the investment to investigate the object:

"Researchers working on long-distance space transportation have previously suggested that a cigar or needle shape is the most likely architecture for an interstellar spacecraft, since this would minimize friction and damage from interstellar gas and dust. While a natural origin is more likely, there is currently no consensus on what that origin might have been, and Breakthrough Listen is well positioned to explore the possibility that 'Oumuamua' could be an artifact."

If the strange interstellar object turns out to be of natural origin, the group still thinks it will discover some valuable information about its travels in outer space.

They continued:

"Even if no signal or other evidence of extraterrestrial technology is heard, Listen [Project] observations will cover portions of the radio spectrum in which the object has not yet been observed, and could provide important information about the possibility of water/ice, or the chemistry of a coma (gaseous envelope), neither of which have yet been identified."

In November, NASA officially confirmed this is the first time direct evidence was found of the existence of an interstellar body.

President Donald Trump recently announced the revival of America's space program by directing NASA to concentrate its efforts on returning humans to the moon and eventually sending manned exploration missions to Mars.