3 ms·
> For the layman: These plots show a sudden burst of acceleration on the object, and the push points mostly in one steady direction within the orbital plane. A
by yodon 11mo ago
> For the layman: These plots show a sudden burst of acceleration on the object, and the push points mostly in one steady direction within the orbital plane. A normal comet warms up and ramps its outgassing gradually, and breaking apart would look chaotic with the direction of thrust changing randomly.
> Here we see one short, powerful jet, like a sealed pocket finally venting, so the speed jumps sharply while the path stays in the same plane; it accelerates but it surprisingly doesn’t change direction.
> It resembles what a single thruster would do (what an incredible prospect!), but it can technically still be explained by a natural rupture of volatile ices in an ancient space rock.
- tummler 11mo agoSeems odd to me that there would be one short, powerful jet of a natural explanation. Why hasn’t this thing been outgassing like crazy the whole time?
- aaroninsf 11mo agoCurrent speculation is that it's a novel object type, unlike the conglomerate iceballs we call "comets," with a different origin and history. Unfortunately we did not make the heroic effort it would have taken to get a close look, so as with 1I/ʻOUMUAMUA we'll be left with enigmas and uncertainty. Unless of course it brakes hard into a parking orbit. :)
- HPsquared 11mo agoMaybe it was cooking away like a sealed food container in a microwave, internal pressure building, then the seal is breached and the internal pressure is released in a single event.