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CuriousG
Half-elven
Jan 4 2019, 2:59pm
Post #1 of 21
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Astronomy fans: do you think Oumuamua was a light sail or just a rock?
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This remains purely speculative, so there's no definitive answer, but which way are you leaning in the debate? Many articles exist; another here.
I was skeptical at first about it being a manufactured light sail, but the fact that the head of Harvard University's Astronomy Dept is publicly taking the risk of being called a crazy UFO nut makes me wonder, especially because it sped up after leaving the sun without any apparent outgassing.
As I said, we'll never know for sure since it's long gone. But it's fun to think about, and I'm leaning toward artificial light sail.
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Annael
Immortal
Jan 4 2019, 3:29pm
Post #2 of 21
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well, I WANT it to be a light sail
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so I'll go with that.
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Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jan 4 2019, 6:12pm
Post #3 of 21
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I'll go with 'extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence'.
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Occam's Razor gets a look-in too.
There's a lot we don't know about the universe (or physics, for that matter). Heck, we've been looking at Pluto for much longer than 'Oumuamua and still the scientists were knocked for six when they finally got close images of the planet (yes - planet!). It's not surprising that a natural object from outside our solar system doesn't meet our expectations of behaviour.
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CuriousG
Half-elven
Jan 4 2019, 6:49pm
Post #4 of 21
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As usual, your eloquence said what I'm thinking
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I really, really want it to be a light sail! I guess we just have to wait for the next one and hope we get a better look.
I'd still be fine with it just being a rock since it came from another solar system. That's already cool.
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CuriousG
Half-elven
Jan 4 2019, 6:54pm
Post #5 of 21
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Uh, you mean that dwarf planet?
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Just kidding! Pluto will always be a planet to me. And good point about how big a surprise it was to fly by it. Now, I am usually the loudest in the crowd in wanting to fund more space exploration, but even I thought, "Pluto? Why waste money on it when we should be all over Titan, Europa, wherever." But I was wrong, and that exploration really paid off.
And look at Ultima Thule--another distant, dull thing that was worth exploring.
Now what I want is some giant Tholian Web to trap the next Oumuamu. Next time, that thing is going to stick around for answers.
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Starling
Half-elven
Jan 4 2019, 7:08pm
Post #6 of 21
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when I was teaching 7 and 8 year olds, I had a boy in my class who was obsessed with space and loved talking about the planets. He was mortified by what happened to Pluto. I can still remember his downcast expression when he said, "Miss, why did they kick Pluto out?"
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Cirashala
Valinor
Jan 4 2019, 7:10pm
Post #7 of 21
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Poor kid  Sounds like he needed a hug!
(I'm so glad I homeschool. I am allowed to hug my students. PS teachers aren't anymore).
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Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jan 4 2019, 7:37pm
Post #8 of 21
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Sometimes, scientists can suck a little fun out of life.
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Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jan 4 2019, 7:38pm
Post #9 of 21
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I agree about inspecting some of Jupiter's moons.
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Mars is arid - let's take a deeper look at places that have some type of liquid! During my lifetime, preferably - I want to know what's there.
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Thor 'n' Oakenshield
Rohan
Jan 4 2019, 10:40pm
Post #10 of 21
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This is why I should keep up to date with astronomy news
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I'm saying light sail, because, even though this is literally the first I've heard of this debate, I am a crazy UFO nut myself
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Ethel Duath
Half-elven
Jan 5 2019, 12:03am
Post #11 of 21
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An interesting and potentially informative rock.
But I do wish it a sail.
Wish we could get Earendil to follow it and report back! 
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Annael
Immortal
Jan 5 2019, 3:34pm
Post #12 of 21
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ever since I first read about light sails
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I've been fascinated by them. I think it was "The Mote in God's Eye" by Pohl & Pournelle that introduced me to the concept.
It looks like a rock - but if so, what made it speed up?
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Annael
Immortal
Jan 5 2019, 3:39pm
Post #13 of 21
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No abduction or anything like that! Just sitting on the beach at night in the San Juan islands, in 1973, when an extremely bright light came up over the island east of us, then down to the water and skimmed along it maybe 100 yards offshore of where we were . . . IN COMPLETE SILENCE . . . passed off to the north and disappeared.
We all sat there, then someone said quietly, "did you guys see that?" People murmured assent, and then . . . we didn't speak of it again.
(This post was edited by Annael on Jan 5 2019, 3:39pm)
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Darkstone
Immortal
Jan 5 2019, 8:48pm
Post #15 of 21
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It's a gas giant that was suffering from hydrogen intolerance.
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It should be commended for going on a successful gas reduction regime, not subjected to celestial shaming.
(This post was edited by Darkstone on Jan 5 2019, 8:52pm)
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Meneldor
Valinor
Jan 5 2019, 9:07pm
Post #16 of 21
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You've read The Wind from The Sun, right?
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Classic short story by AC Clarke. One of my all time favorites.
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CuriousG
Half-elven
Jan 5 2019, 11:33pm
Post #17 of 21
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Except it's so skinny, it's anorexic. Alas, the effects of heavenly body shaming.//
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CuriousG
Half-elven
Jan 5 2019, 11:33pm
Post #18 of 21
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No, but now I think I need to. Thanks! //
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Annael
Immortal
Jan 6 2019, 5:10pm
Post #19 of 21
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Cygnus
Lorien
Jan 20 2019, 11:11pm
Post #20 of 21
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In defense of the scientists *ducks to avoid rotten tomoatoes thrown at him* Pluto is really a comet. It will not get close enough to the Sun to develop a tail but it hangs out with other comets and is made of the same stuff they are. Scientists were in a lose-lose situation. They knew demoting Pluto wouldn' t be popular but now that they are discovering other Pluto-like objects they would have to label them all "planets" if Pluto was a planet. (Classifying things is serious business to scientists). That would mean that the potential would have been there to have 100 planets someday.
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Omnigeek
Lorien
Jul 4 2019, 5:43pm
Post #21 of 21
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Scientists are not of one-mind on the issue
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I’ve met a few astronomers or planetary scientists that were (and still are) of the mind that Pluto is a planet. Science is not a big Borg-mind.
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