https://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/possible-interstellar-comet-headed-our-way/
First there was 'Oumuamua, discovered nearly two years ago. Now we might be in store for another interstellar flyby, this time by the recently discovered comet known for now by the provisional designation C/2019 Q4 (Borisov) — formerly gb00234. Gennady Borisov captured the object on August 30, 2019, at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory when it was about 3 astronomical units (a.u.) from the Sun. Unlike 'Oumuamua, which wasn't spotted until well after perihelion, the new comet is approaching the plane of the solar system and will reach perihelion on December 10, 2019.
[...] If this result holds up, astronomers have an unprecedented opportunity to study a potentially interstellar object in great detail over a long span of time. Based on the comet's current magnitude (~18) and distance from the Sun (2.7 a.u.), it appears to be a fairly large object — perhaps 10 km or more across, depending on the reflectivity of its surface.
[...] For predicted positions and current orbital element, check out the Minor Planet Center's latest circular MPEC 2019-R106.
From the link at the Minor Planet Center:
Based on the available observations, the orbit solution for this object has converged to the hyperbolic elements shown below, which would indicate an interstellar origin. A number of other orbit computers have reached similar conclusions, initially D. Farnocchia (JPL), W. Gray, and D. Tholen (UoH). Further observations are clearly very desirable, as all currently-available observations have been obtained at small solar elongations and low elevations. Absent an unexpected fading or disintegration, this object should be observable for at least a year.
In other words, further observations are needed to better determine its exact path as it approaches the Sun.
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https://www.sciencealert.com/our-new-interstellar-visitor-is-now-official-and-it-has-a-name
The verdict is in: after a thorough round of observations, the comet suspected of being an interstellar alien has been ratified. According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the comet is "unambiguously" interstellar in origin, and it has now been given a name: 2I/Borisov.
Previously, the comet had been going by the provisional name C/2019 Q4 (Borisov). C means it's a comet with a hyperbolic orbit, followed by the year it was discovered, an alphanumeric code for when in the year it was discovered, and the comet name in parentheses - that's Crimean amateur astronomer Gennadiy Borisov, who spotted the comet with telescope he made himself.
The new name has been simplified. In 2I, I stands for "interstellar", and 2 for being the second interstellar object ever discovered, after 'Oumuamua, which was detected in October 2017.
Previously: Possible Second Interstellar Object Discovered
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday September 13 2019, @12:45AM (7 children)
They just discovered it, and they're still working out it's path. So - are they really sure that it's an interstellar visitor? What if it's just a new class of comet with a super elongated orbit? That is, it's just now returning to the vicinity of the sun, after xxxx years out there in no-man's land?
That "further observations needed" bit seems to be on target.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 13 2019, @01:00AM (2 children)
They are still looking at it but are reasonably confident this thing is interstellar.
The important part is that we caught this one before closest approach. Also, it appears to be very large compared to 'Oumuamua.
(Score: 3, Informative) by JNCF on Friday September 13 2019, @01:33AM (1 child)
... because ʻOumuamua was just the first scout.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 13 2019, @06:10AM
They were fascinated by a curious orange being. Had to have a second look.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by PartTimeZombie on Friday September 13 2019, @01:29AM (2 children)
I feel for astronomers. Further observations needed is the mantra they live by.
The fact is, we know almost nothing about space. There may well be 50 interstellar objects hurtling through our solar system every day, and we either don't see them or misinterpret them.
The fact is, we don't even know anything about our own Oort cloud.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Runaway1956 on Saturday September 14 2019, @12:24AM (1 child)
You sure they hurtle, or maybe they just meander?
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Sunday September 15 2019, @08:19PM
Hurtle is a funny word. Hurtle.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 13 2019, @05:23AM
There are already a bunch of comets with extremely long orbits that have eccentricities near, or in some cases even exceeding 1 (that means they're parabolic or slightly hyperbolic rather than elliptical). These comets go out more than a light year into space, basically as far as a thing can go and still orbit the Sun. Some of the hyperbolic ones probably get ejected into interstellar space, but only just - usually they get that way by a gravitational interaction with a planet.
This interstellar visitor appears to have an eccentricity of about 3. This isn't anything like the extremely elongated comets. While the orbit could be a measurement error, it would have to be a pretty major error because it isn't close to a path that would stay in the solar system. Oumuamua was like that too. These objects aren't in a gray area as far as their orbit goes.
What's super weird is seeing two of them so close together after never seeing any before. Sure, we have better sky coverage now, but this one was discovered by an amateur comet hunter with a smaller than one meter telescope. It wasn't an extremely difficult find by the standards of modern astronomy.
(Score: 5, Funny) by oumuamua on Friday September 13 2019, @03:47AM (1 child)
She was complaining about the chaos at Cassiopeiae so I told her she should come here, nice stable system, quiet neighborhood. She was reluctant at first until I told her she could grab a free Tesla on the way in.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 13 2019, @12:00PM
The alluring musky space couch and/or back seat cuddle puddle is irresistible to the interstellar lady objects.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by NotSanguine on Friday September 13 2019, @12:45PM (4 children)
I'll make the obvious, but not obligatory Rendezvous With Rama [wikipedia.org] reference.
Could this be our first interaction with intelligent life, 'cause there's bugger all down here on Earth?
Rendezvous With Rama might be a good book club choice too. It's certainly a good read.
What ever happened to the book club, anyway?
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 3, Informative) by takyon on Friday September 13 2019, @01:17PM (1 child)
I got lazy so I didn't post it yet. You are the first one to notice.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Monday September 16 2019, @12:15AM
I can pick that up if you like. If so, we should probably discuss so I don't screw things up too badly.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 13 2019, @02:49PM
Which explains why we’re seeing a second one so soon after ’Oumuamua. The Ramans do everything in threes.
(Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Saturday September 14 2019, @12:16AM
I read that on recommendation and enjoyed it. Haven't read the sequel yet, but if it had been in front of me I would've eaten through that, too.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 13 2019, @03:07PM
Blowhard lazy unskilled big talker (but no action in provable work done by "it") barbara hudson fails on C and C++ inferiority to P a s c a l on string processing security + speed advantage https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?noupdate=1&sid=33430&page=1&cid=889635#commentwrap [soylentnews.org] also caught in lies while quoted stalking others by unidentifiable anonymous posts at the end of that post.