Ghost in the Machine
Well-known member
Something I happened upon.
Apparently this was noted some four weeks ago by Pan-STARRS1 survey at the Haleakala Observatory on 17 September 2020.[Source:Wikipedia]
Some sort of 'mini-moon' is set to orbit Earth from November and will be departing on May 2021. "The Earth-like orbit and low relative velocity suggest a possible artificial object. Spectroscopy may help determine if it is covered in titanium dioxide paint."[Source:Wikipedia]
Sources have been initially claiming it's an asteroid, but now as of October upon closer inspection in it's approach they say it appears to be a cylindrical ship of artificial origin, or part of it. They believe it's one of the old moon landers.
"Instead of a cosmic rock, the newly discovered object appears to be an old rocket from a failed moon-landing mission 54 years ago that’s finally making its way back home, according to NASA’s leading asteroid expert. Observations should help nail its identity.
“I’m pretty jazzed about this,” Paul Chodas told the Associated Press. “It’s been a hobby of mine to find one of these and draw such a link, and I’ve been doing it for decades now.”
Chodas speculates that asteroid 2020 SO, as it is formally known, is actually the Centaur upper-rocket stage that successfully propelled NASA’s Surveyor 2 lander to the moon in 1966 before it was discarded. The lander ended up crashing into the moon after one of its thrusters failed to ignite on the way there. The rocket, meanwhile, swept past the moon and into orbit around the sun as intended junk, never to be seen again — until perhaps now."
"As the object gets closer, astronomers should be able to better chart its orbit and determine how much it is being pushed around by the radiation and thermal effects of sunlight. If the object is indeed an old Centaur — essentially a light empty can — it will move differently from a heavy space rock less susceptible to outside forces."[Source: San Diego Union-Tribune]
Do I think it's "aliens"? Well I'm not refuting the possibility but it's not the forefront of my expectations, actually it's far back at the bottom of my list because it doesn't seem to be in any active and deliberate motion. It really is likely just a lost lander coming back or some sort of space junk, though I'll admit that is one hell of a timing after like 50 years given everything going on right now. It's best to think realistically in all aspects and not get in over our heads anyways. I think it would be cool to see an old moon lander from over 50 years ago.
Regardless I thought this would be interesting to share.
If you want to look this up yourself you can just search: 2020 SO mini-moon
Apparently this was noted some four weeks ago by Pan-STARRS1 survey at the Haleakala Observatory on 17 September 2020.[Source:Wikipedia]
Some sort of 'mini-moon' is set to orbit Earth from November and will be departing on May 2021. "The Earth-like orbit and low relative velocity suggest a possible artificial object. Spectroscopy may help determine if it is covered in titanium dioxide paint."[Source:Wikipedia]
Sources have been initially claiming it's an asteroid, but now as of October upon closer inspection in it's approach they say it appears to be a cylindrical ship of artificial origin, or part of it. They believe it's one of the old moon landers.
"Instead of a cosmic rock, the newly discovered object appears to be an old rocket from a failed moon-landing mission 54 years ago that’s finally making its way back home, according to NASA’s leading asteroid expert. Observations should help nail its identity.
“I’m pretty jazzed about this,” Paul Chodas told the Associated Press. “It’s been a hobby of mine to find one of these and draw such a link, and I’ve been doing it for decades now.”
Chodas speculates that asteroid 2020 SO, as it is formally known, is actually the Centaur upper-rocket stage that successfully propelled NASA’s Surveyor 2 lander to the moon in 1966 before it was discarded. The lander ended up crashing into the moon after one of its thrusters failed to ignite on the way there. The rocket, meanwhile, swept past the moon and into orbit around the sun as intended junk, never to be seen again — until perhaps now."
"As the object gets closer, astronomers should be able to better chart its orbit and determine how much it is being pushed around by the radiation and thermal effects of sunlight. If the object is indeed an old Centaur — essentially a light empty can — it will move differently from a heavy space rock less susceptible to outside forces."[Source: San Diego Union-Tribune]
Do I think it's "aliens"? Well I'm not refuting the possibility but it's not the forefront of my expectations, actually it's far back at the bottom of my list because it doesn't seem to be in any active and deliberate motion. It really is likely just a lost lander coming back or some sort of space junk, though I'll admit that is one hell of a timing after like 50 years given everything going on right now. It's best to think realistically in all aspects and not get in over our heads anyways. I think it would be cool to see an old moon lander from over 50 years ago.
Regardless I thought this would be interesting to share.
If you want to look this up yourself you can just search: 2020 SO mini-moon
