The Paranormal, UFO's, and Mysteries of the Unknown

Pharazon2

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I posted about the improbable trajectory in the astronomy thread even before Avi Loeb brought it up. Its extremely unlikely that an interstellar object comes within less than 0.4 AU of 3 different planets on one shot path through the solar system, something like 1 in 20,000. And pretty much in the plane of the solar system, only a 5 degree offset to it. Extremely unlikely - but definitely not proof its technological. My understanding is that so far its missing a lot of things that would give it a positive ID as a comet still, but as it gets closer to the sun we should start to see more of those traits.

Even Avi Loeb consistently said in his papers it is most likely a comet, but until then we see more of the characteristics that would positively ID it as such we should keep an open mind. Read his paper, a lot of interesting points.
 
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Pharazon2

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3I/Atlas will be long gone by 2027. Hubbel looked at it and it's definitely an interstellar comet, probably on the order of 1-2km in diameter with a coma probably on the order of 10-20km in diameter.
Nope - analysis of the Vera C. Rubin data estimates the nucleus to be 7 miles in diameter. Roughly same size as Rama btw...

 
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Pharazon2

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And lastly, regardless of what it is, we should want to study it because its possibly the oldest object we've ever observed passing through the solar system, older than the solar system itself. When this first popped up, everybody was saying there was no way we could intercept it before it leaves the solar system.

The coolest point Avi Loeb and his team have been making, just in the past few days, is that the Juno spacecraft which is orbiting Jupiter, whose mission is pretty much over, may have enough fuel left to do something of an intercept. To get close enough to use all the many tools it has at its disposal to observe this thing. Every scientist should want to do that if its possible regardless of what they think it is. So we could see Rendevous with 3I/Atlas incoming...

 
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Rajaah

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I posted about the improbable trajectory in the astronomy thread even before Avi Loeb brought it up. Its extremely unlikely that an interstellar object comes within less than 0.4 AU of 3 different planets on one shot path through the solar system, something like 1 in 20,000. And pretty much in the plane of the solar system, only a 5 degree offset to it. Extremely unlikely - but definitely not proof its technological.

The proximity to multiple planets is what gives me pause. Hopefully Juno can get some actual visuals on it so we have something to go off of besides endless CGI imaginings of a rock at the top of news articles.

I don't think it's really the goal of "the powers that be" to push the "it might be an alien ship" idea, considering that every single news article on Oumuamua or 3I/Atlas has a picture of a rock at the top of it, to the point that most people probably think we've photographed both objects.

I'm confused about the numbers. So it isn't going to potentially intercept Earth in 2027, it'll be before that? And wasn't there supposed to be some other object potentially intercepting us in 2032 or so?
 
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Pharazon2

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I'm confused about the numbers. So it isn't going to potentially intercept Earth in 2027, it'll be before that? And wasn't there supposed to be some other object potentially intercepting us in 2032 or so?

Nobody has ever said its on course to intercept earth - if it stays on its current trajectory, it will pass pretty close to Mars, and a little further from both Venus and Jupiter. Its not supposed to get close to earth. Avi Loeb said if it were technological, it could be made to perform a maneuver when it gets close to the sun to change direction towards earth.

This guy's latest video summarizes all the weird shit about it, including the fact that if it is a comet its displaying some atypical comet characteristics thus far.. and then ends with the doomsday scenario of what happens if somebody launched this at earth intentionally lol...

 
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