Pole, Pericenter, and Nodes of the Interstellar Minor Body A/2017 U1

Abstract

Here, we explore some peculiar orbital features of the recently discovered asteroid A/2017 U1, which is a clear outlier when considering the average value of the eccentricity of known hyperbolic comets. As for the orientation of its orbit in space, the orbital plane of A/2017 U1 seems to be away from any obvious clusters present for this population. The orbital nodes of A/2017 U1 are well away from the paths of the planets of the Solar System and the Sun. All these orbital properties appear to confirm A/2017 U1 as the first known interstellar asteroid.

arXiv comment4 pages, 1 figure

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• Exocomets in the Proxima Centauri system and their importance for water transport
• A general method for assessing the origin of interstellar small bodies: the case of 1I/2017 U1 ('Oumuamua)
• Collisional Elongation: Possible Origin of Extremely Elongated Shape of 1I/`Oumuamua
• Two Hyperbolic Baldheads in the Solar System: 2017 U7 and 2018 C2
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• Recent arrivals to the main asteroid belt
• Ejection of material --"Jurads" -- from post main sequence planetary systems
• Finding Fast Transients in Real Time Using Novel Light Curve Analysis Algorithm