
Oumuamua, also known as 1I/2017 U1, is a small object discovered in 2017 by the Pan STARRS telescope in Hawaii. Its unique shape and trajectory have led some to speculate that it may be an alien spacecraft. The object made headlines again as it left our star system. So could it really be a vehicle sent by another civilization?
The spacecraft’s theory biggest selling point is the fact that Oumuamua is accelerating. It flew past orbit of Jupiter 64 minutes earlier than initial trajectory calculations indicated. As the most likely explanation, astronomers sugested that due to heating by the sun, the asteroid began venting vaporized gases just like a comet, thus creating natural “rocket engine” and accelerating.
On the other hand one of the main pieces of evidence against the idea that Oumuamua is an alien spacecraft is the lack of detectable radio emissions. If Oumuamua were an technologically-advanced alien space probe, it would be expected to emit radio signals or other forms of electromagnetic radiation to comunicate with creators of such vehicle. However, no such signals have been detected. This suggests that Oumuamua is not an artificial object.
In addition to this, the composition of Oumuamua also supports the idea that it is a natural object. Spectroscopic observations have shown that Oumuamua is made up of icey materials, similar to comets and other small celestial bodies. This chemical composition is not what one would expect from an artificial object.
Another argument against spaceship theory is purely pragmatic. The distance between stars is vast, and it is highly unlikely that an alien civilization would be able to send a probe at such a great distance. Additionally, the amount of energy and resources that would be required to construct and operate an alien spacecraft capable of making the journey from another star system to ours would be enormous.
It is important to note that while the possibility that Oumuamua is an alien spacecraft cannot be completely ruled out, it is considered highly unlikely by the scientific community. Most scientists believe that Oumuamua is a natural object that was formed in another star system and happened to pass through our own by chance.
sources:
- https://magazine.scienceconnected.org/2018/07/interstellar-asteroid-accelerating/
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0254-4
- https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/asteroids-comets-and-meteors/comets/oumuamua/in-depth/
This is an interesting look at the possibility of Oumuamua being an alien spacecraft. It’s clear that while there are some fascinating theories, evidence shows that it is likely a natural object.