A newly discovered comet that may have originated outside our Solar System has an official title.
2I/Borisov is named after Gennady Borisov, who spotted the object from the MARGO observatory in Crimea, using a 0.65-meter telescope he built himself.
Boasting a condensed coma and short tail, the unambiguously interstellar object is only the second known to have passed through the Solar System (hence “2I”).
“Of the thousands of comets discovered so far, none has an orbit as hyperbolic as that of 2I/Borisov,” according to the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
“Coming just two years after the discovery of the first interstellar object 1I/’Oumuamua, this new finding suggests that such objects may be sufficiently numerous to provide a new way of investigating processes in planetary systems beyond our own,” the agency said.
In 2017, astronomers discovered a strange, oblong object—with characteristics of an asteroid and a comet—nicknaming it ‘Oumuamua, which translates to “scout” in Hawaiian.
Early reports of the odd foreigner led people to believe it could be an alien spacecraft. Recent analysis, unfortunately, suggests otherwise.
It Came From Outer Space
The jury is still out on whether 2I/Borisov will answer those prayers.
Based on its fuzzy appearance, scientists believe the object has a central icy body a few kilometers in diameter that is melting into a cloud of dust and particles as it approaches the Sun.
Perihelion is expected on Dec. 7, when the comet flies 2 astronomical units (AU)—about 186 miles—away from the burning ring of fire.
The object will peak in brightness by the new year, before beginning its outbound journey, eventually leaving the Solar System forever.*
Stargazers are eager to observe the mysterious object, which should be visible for “many months”—longer than predecessor ‘Oumuamua.
Little else is known about the intergalactic visitor, which raises more questions than it answers: Why have these objects not been discovered before? What is the expected rate of their appearance? How do they compare to similar bodies within the Solar System?
“Astronomers are optimistic about their chances of studying this rare guest in great detail,” IAU said, hopeful for an explanation.
* Though not until October 2020
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- Scientists Find Tiny Fragment of Comet Inside a Meteorite
- NASA Telescope Captures Stunning Sight of 2018’s Brightest Comet
- Rubber Duck-Shaped Comet Blown Apart, Reborn
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