Mysterious interstellar object floating in space might be alien, say Harvard researchers
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It's been dubbed a comet, an asteroid, and a new class of interstellar object. Now, a paper from Harvard astronomers suggests one more possibility into the mysterious object nicknamed "Oumuamua": Alien probe.
Researchers focused on whether solar radiation pressure could explain the unusual acceleration of "Oumuamua," the first object entering the Earth's solar system from interstellar space.
The paper said if solar radiation pressure is the reason "Oumuamua" is moving at high speeds, it represents "a new class of thin interstellar material" either made naturally or through artificial means.
The paper's authors, which include Avi Loeb, chair of Harvard's astronomy department, suggest the object could be a "light sail" used to propel spacecraft with solar energy.
The other possibility? It comes from aliens. "A more exotic scenario is that 'Oumuamua'
may be a fully operational probe sent intentionally to Earth vicinity by an alien civilization,"USA TODAY NETWORKBrett Molina, USA TODAY Published 8:03 a.m. ET Nov. 6, 2018 | Updated 3:41 p.m. ET Nov. 6, 2018
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@astronomycentral don't think that this should "discuss" in the windy forum..closed..