New Interstellar Object Could Be An Alien Probe, Astronomer Reveals

An astronomer claimed that the second interstellar object that entered the Solar System could be an alien spacecraft. The astronomer said he plans to study the object that came from a different star system using a powerful telescope to confirm its true nature.

Last week, astronomers and NASA discovered a mysterious object that entered the Solar System. According to the astronomers, it could be an interstellar object like Oumuamua that originated from a different system.

The object, dubbed as C/2019 Q4 Borisov, is most likely a comet as NASA noted. However, for astronomer Seth Shostak of the SETI Institute, which is focused on finding evidence of extraterrestrial life, the interstellar object might actually be an alien probe sent to study the Solar System and its planets.

“We can’t rule out that this is an interstellar probe,” Shostak told The Sun. “If we get a close-up look, we may well see it has a metal exterior with portholes and little green faces looking out at us.”

Like C/2019 Q4 Borisov, Oumuamua also caught the attention of Shostak and members of the SETI institute when it visited Earth’s neighborhood in 2017. During its arrival, the organization speculated that it might be an alien prove due to its ability to travel across different star systems.

For C/2019 Q4 Borisov, Shostak said he aims to confirm its true nature by closely observing it using the Allen Telescope Array in California. This is a radio telescope mainly used for astronomical observations.

“I have suggested to our SETI team that we give this new object a look with the Allen Telescope Array,” he said. “So maybe we will check it out.”

Despite Shostak’s claims, most astronomers are still referring to C/2019 Q4 Borisov as a comet. According to the International Astronomical Union, the object follows a hyperbolic path that extends into the Solar System.

“Based on the available observations, the orbit solution for this object has converged to the hyperbolic elements shown below, which would indicate an interstellar origin,” the organization stated in the memo.

The interstellar comet is expected to reach its closest point to the Sun on Dec. 8 at a distance of around 190 million miles.