5 ms·
Seems odd to me that there would be one short, powerful jet of a natural explanation. Why hasn’t this thing been outgassing like crazy the whole time?
by tummler 10mo ago
Seems odd to me that there would be one short, powerful jet of a natural explanation. Why hasn’t this thing been outgassing like crazy the whole time?
- aaroninsf 10mo agoCurrent speculation is that it's a novel object type, unlike the conglomerate iceballs we call "comets," with a different origin and history. Unfortunately we did not make the heroic effort it would have taken to get a close look, so as with 1I/ʻOUMUAMUA we'll be left with enigmas and uncertainty. Unless of course it brakes hard into a parking orbit. :)
- HPsquared 10mo agoMaybe it was cooking away like a sealed food container in a microwave, internal pressure building, then the seal is breached and the internal pressure is released in a single event.