Question: Recently International Astronomical Union (IAU) has confirmed about the discovery of second intersteller object. This has been named as-
(a) Oumuamua
(b) 2 I/Borisov
(c) 101955 Bennu
(d) 25143 Itokawa
Answer: (b)
Related facts:
- 2 I/Borisov the second interstellar object has been discovered in the solar system.
- It was discovered by amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov from MARGO observatory, Crimea on August 30, 2019.
- The new name 2I/Borisov has been simplified; in 2I, I stand for interstellar, and 2 for being the second interstellar object ever discovered, after Oumuamua, which was detected in October 2017.
- Astronomers declared that comet 2I/Borisov which has a hyperbolic orbit will make its closest approach to the sun on 7 December 2019.
- The conclusions of the discovery have been supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Solar System Dynamics (SSD) Group.
Interstellar object:
- Those celestial bodies which are not gravitationally bound to any star and wanders in the vast space between stars are known as interstellar object.
- Object like an asteroid, comet or possibly planet may behave as an interstellar object if they are not under the gravitational influence of any star or substar.
Links:
https://www.space.com/interstellar-comet-borisov-officially-from-beyond-solar-system.html
https://www.sciencealert.com/our-new-interstellar-visitor-is-now-official-and-it-has-a-name