An object speeding around near Earth is officially the second ever known visitor from another solar system, astronomers have said.
The comet, which has now been officially named 2I/Borisov, arrived here from somewhere very distant indeed, scientists say. It was first spotted some weeks ago by an amateur astronomer, but has now been given an official designation by the International Astronomical Union.
The "2I" in its name refers to the fact that it is the second known interstellar visitor. "Borisov" is the name of the Russian amateur astronomer who first spotted it, and began the hunt for more information about our new visitor.
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It had previously been known as C/2019 Q4 but got its new name after being officially confirmed by the IAU, which is responsible for naming and cataloguing objects in space.
The object is the first comet known to have arrived in our solar system. The first confirmed object, named Oumuamua, still remains largely mysterious – with astronomers still uncertain about what it even is, let alone where it came from or how it got here.
Best Nasa pictures of the month - August 2019
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Best Nasa pictures of the month - August 2019
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"When stars like the Sun grow advanced in age, they expand and glow red. These so-called red giants then begin to lose their outer layers of material into space. More than half of such a star's mass can be shed in this manner, forming a shell of surrounding gas. At the same time, the star's core shrinks and grows hotter, emitting ultraviolet light that causes the expelled gases to glow.
This type of object is called, somewhat confusingly, a planetary nebula, though it has nothing to do with planets. The name derives from the rounded, planet-like appearance of these objects in early telescopes" - European Space Agency
Nasa
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Two galaxies are seen interacting with one another. This pair of galaxies is known as UGC2369 and they are being drawn together by mutual gravitational attraction. Our own Milky Way galaxy is next expected to interact with another galaxy, the Andromeda, in four billion years. The two galaxies will eventually merge together to form a galaxy that scientists are already calling the Milkomeda
Nasa
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Mount Shasta in California as seen from 260 miles above earth onboard the International Space Station
Nasa
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The galaxy NGC 5866 is seen at a side angle. We're used to seeing galaxies face-on but NGC 5866 is at such an angle to earth that we can only see it edge-on
Nasa
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The most recent portrait of Jupiter taken by the Hubble Telescope shows a more intense colour palette swirling in Jupiter's atmosphere than in recent years. The different colours of the bands help scientists to understand what is happening in Jupiter's atmosphere
Nasa
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This artist's illustration depicts the exoplanet LHS 3844b, which is 1.3 times the mass of Earth and 49 lightyears away. The illustration is based on research by Nasa into this recently discovered planet
Nasa
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A Soyuz spacecraft carrying carg and supplies comes in to dock in the International Space Station
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A planetary nebula (radiation emitted by a dying star) is seen in the Gemini constellation by the Hubble Telescope
Nasa
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North coast of Africa by Libya and Tunisia as seen from 260 miles above earth onboard the International Space Station
Nasa
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This image from Nasa's Solar Dynamic Observatory shows our Sun in a different light. In colour are active regions of the atmosphere of the Sun e.g. solar flares and coronal mass ejections
Nasa
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"When stars like the Sun grow advanced in age, they expand and glow red. These so-called red giants then begin to lose their outer layers of material into space. More than half of such a star's mass can be shed in this manner, forming a shell of surrounding gas. At the same time, the star's core shrinks and grows hotter, emitting ultraviolet light that causes the expelled gases to glow.
This type of object is called, somewhat confusingly, a planetary nebula, though it has nothing to do with planets. The name derives from the rounded, planet-like appearance of these objects in early telescopes" - European Space Agency
Nasa
2/10
Two galaxies are seen interacting with one another. This pair of galaxies is known as UGC2369 and they are being drawn together by mutual gravitational attraction. Our own Milky Way galaxy is next expected to interact with another galaxy, the Andromeda, in four billion years. The two galaxies will eventually merge together to form a galaxy that scientists are already calling the Milkomeda
Nasa
3/10
Mount Shasta in California as seen from 260 miles above earth onboard the International Space Station
Nasa
4/10
The galaxy NGC 5866 is seen at a side angle. We're used to seeing galaxies face-on but NGC 5866 is at such an angle to earth that we can only see it edge-on
Nasa
5/10
The most recent portrait of Jupiter taken by the Hubble Telescope shows a more intense colour palette swirling in Jupiter's atmosphere than in recent years. The different colours of the bands help scientists to understand what is happening in Jupiter's atmosphere
Nasa
6/10
This artist's illustration depicts the exoplanet LHS 3844b, which is 1.3 times the mass of Earth and 49 lightyears away. The illustration is based on research by Nasa into this recently discovered planet
Nasa
7/10
A Soyuz spacecraft carrying carg and supplies comes in to dock in the International Space Station
8/10
A planetary nebula (radiation emitted by a dying star) is seen in the Gemini constellation by the Hubble Telescope
Nasa
9/10
North coast of Africa by Libya and Tunisia as seen from 260 miles above earth onboard the International Space Station
Nasa
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This image from Nasa's Solar Dynamic Observatory shows our Sun in a different light. In colour are active regions of the atmosphere of the Sun e.g. solar flares and coronal mass ejections
Nasa
The new comet is destined to be less mysterious. Its journey means that it will be nearby for much longer, giving astronomers a chance to observe it more fully and hopefully understand more of its story.
2I/Borisov was first seen at the end of August by Gennady Borisov, from Crimea. He noticed that it appeared to be a comet, based on the haze that surrounded it, and he turned out to be right – since comets tend to be named after the person who first spotted them, it was given his name.
That distinctive tail is helping astronomers understand more about how the comet is making its way through the universe. Its current orbit suggests that it will be flying around the solar system for months, coming close to the Sun on 7 December and then flying out of the solar system.
During that time, astronomers are scanning the visitor to learn as much as they can about it. That could help illuminate its origin and its destination, more about what it is made of, and how it could have been sent all the way to us – questions that could not be fully answered about Oumuamua, since it was spotted so late and was already heading out of the solar system before researchers could turn their attention to it fully.
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