Other Than Mars Thread

Interstellar Object ЗI/ATLAS Looks Increasingly Weird
128,430 views 6h ago
Sabine Hossenfelder

Quote: rxwine

Interstellar Object ЗI/ATLAS Looks Increasingly Weird
128,430 views 6h ago
Sabine Hossenfelder

That the tail is pointed towards the Sun doesn't surprise me, but perhaps reading the study would explain. It's easy for lay people to be confused about a comet tail, and think that it's pointed away from the Sun because debris falls off and, being smaller, falls slower than the main object. Ever since Galileo we've known that's *not* how it works, and when the comet heads back out, yet the tail still points away from the Sun, it should remind us it's the solar wind that creates the tail effect.

If the object comes from somewhere else, and already has a tail, why wouldn't it be likely to be pointed just about any which way?

As for the other 'weird' things, I'll have to take their word for that. Get ready for more interstellar objects, we only now are able to detect such things ... it's easy to postulate now that they've been blasting through since day 1 without us knowing

It's likely we've missed smaller objects. I just read the nucleus may be as small as 1000 ft diameter. which is not exactly tiny.

There seem signs that the unknown object may possibly be under power.

Quote: missedhervee

There seem signs that the unknown object may possibly be under power.

It could be using our sun to accelerate to some distant alien world, having found no intelligent life in our solar system.

Quote: odiousgambit

That the tail is pointed towards the Sun doesn't surprise me, but perhaps reading the study would explain. It's easy for lay people to be confused about a comet tail, and think that it's pointed away from the Sun because debris falls off and, being smaller, falls slower than the main object. Ever since Galileo we've known that's *not* how it works, and when the comet heads back out, yet the tail still points away from the Sun, it should remind us it's the solar wind that creates the tail effect.

If the object comes from somewhere else, and already has a tail, why wouldn't it be likely to be pointed just about any which way?

As for the other 'weird' things, I'll have to take their word for that. Get ready for more interstellar objects, we only now are able to detect such things ... it's easy to postulate now that they've been blasting through since day 1 without us knowing

She has a new video about tracking of possible artificial objects in space years before Sputnik.

Quote: rxwine

Interstellar Object ЗI/ATLAS Looks Increasingly Weird
128,430 views 6h ago
Sabine Hossenfelder

Not sure if this was all covered before.

Quote:

The object’s apparent position shifted, just as Einstein’s theory suggests—initially a strong confirmation of general relativity.

The surprise came in the degree of the shift. According to Harvard professor Avi Loeb, 3I/ATLAS showed a shift of about four arcseconds, far beyond the 0.27 arcseconds scientists had predicted.

This scale of deviation is not small: One arcsecond equals 1/3600 of a degree—about the size of a dime viewed from over two miles away.
Loeb noting that 3I/ATLAS brightened strangely near its closest point to the Sun (perihelion on October 29) and appeared bluer than the Sun.

Natural comets typically appear redder, due to how they reflect sunlight. Loeb argues that the lack of a visible gas cloud—expected if this were a comet—raises further questions about whether the object is natural at all.

Quote: rxwine

Not sure if this was all covered before.

Weird... astronomy is proving to be the leading edge for the realization scientists don't really understand everything, can't explain everything.

The thing with Einstein's shift is, in physicist speak, the distortion of the space-time fabric caused by gravity, or for those of us who live in 3-dimensional space, the phenomenon of gravity bending light. Einstein predicted this and it was proved true in early 20th century by an eclipse that allowed a star that was actually behind the sun to be seen IIRC. Now, you would think by now they would be able to predict exactly the point where this 3I/ATLAS thing would show up . Or maybe the aliens gave it a rocket blast knowing we couldn't see them do it, chuckling at the reaction

Quote: odiousgambit

Weird... astronomy is proving to be the leading edge for the realization scientists don't really understand everything, can't explain everything.

The thing with Einstein's shift is, in physicist speak, the distortion of the space-time fabric caused by gravity, or for those of us who live in 3-dimensional space, the phenomenon of gravity bending light. Einstein predicted this and it was proved true in early 20th century by an eclipse that allowed a star that was actually behind the sun to be seen IIRC. Now, you would think by now they would be able to predict exactly the point where this 3I/ATLAS thing would show up . Or maybe the aliens gave it a rocket blast knowing we couldn't see them do it, chuckling at the reaction

What made you think scientists understand or explain everything? I've been around scientists my entire life, and every single one-myself included-would admit guilty as charged to not knowing, understanding or being able to explain everything.

So this thing isn't a comet. Big deal. Doesn't mean it isn't natural. Wake me when the aliens send us a dinner invitation.