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> Assuming a size for 'Oumuamua of 50 – 130 meters, what they get is a very low density: About 0.00005 grams per cc. Do we have example of naturally ocurring s
by coolspot 8y ago
> Assuming a size for 'Oumuamua of 50 – 130 meters, what they get is a very low density: About 0.00005 grams per cc.
Do we have example of naturally ocurring space object with such low density?
Half-close? Quarter-close?
- downer52 8y agoThere's a first time for everything, no?
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- privong 8y ago> Do we have example of naturally ocurring space object with such low density? Depends what you mean by "object. Assuming the mass is mostly protons, that corresponds to a density of ~3e19 particles per cc. In comparison, molecular clouds in the galaxy have regions which are have densities as low as 1e2 particles per cc. And the hot X-ray emitting gas in clusters can be less than 1 particle per cc. There are things which span the gap, including disks around stars.
- jcriddle4 8y agoBy object he is probably talking about matter in a solid state which would exclude gas or plasma. Also given Oumuamua's rotation rate the pieces of matter that makes up the object probably has to have some bounds with each other or it would fly apart.
- Symmetry 8y agoEven an aerogel is .0.2g/cc. That sounds implausible to me but so does the solar sail hypothesis. And really we don't have much information about what an interstellar object would be like.
- gus_massa 8y agoI agree that the proposed density is too low. Anyway, the aerogels are deigned to support their own weight on Earths, wind currents and some moron poking them. The magical aerogel of this object may have lower requirements.