4 ms·
In this case, a hyperbolic trajectory means the orbit isn't closed, which also means the the object's velocity is above escape velocity. The only thing that wo
by zentiggr 7y ago
In this case, a hyperbolic trajectory means the orbit isn't closed, which also means the the object's velocity is above escape velocity. The only thing that would possibly change it to a capture scenario would be an extremely close pass to a planet, which theoretically could drain off its excess velocity and would then wind up in some sort of elliptical closed orbit.
Since an encounter like that is easy to predict once a trajectory has been calculated, and there's no mention of it doing so, I have to assume it's going to cruise in, pass its closest point to the Sun, and zoom right back out.
- sixothree 7y agoSo that means this is incredibly historic, yes? We have only witnessed one other interstellar object and we did not learn about it in time to make meaningful observations?
- dreamcompiler 7y agoIt's historic in the sense that it's one of the first interstellar objects we've seen. But these things are almost certainly not rare; they only seem so because we've only recently become able to detect them. In 10 years sightings of interstellar objects won't even make the second-tier news feeds.
- sixothree 7y agoWhen my mother was born plate tectonics was a hypothesis. When I was born proof of extra-solar planets did not exist. I know this these objects have been hurling past us for billions of years, but the fact that we spotted one is exciting for me.