A Binary System Disturbed Comets From Oort Cloud And Passed Dangerously Close To Us 70,000 Years Ago

A Binary System Disturbed Comets From Oort Cloud And Passed Dangerously Close To Us 70,000 Years Ago
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A binary system known as Scholz’s Star would have passed dangerously close to us 70,000 years ago, disrupting the trajectory of several comets. This could be called a close encounter of another type. However, its passing-by effects are still reflecting on our present days.

First of all, just to be clear, you must understand that in astronomy, “dangerously close” means “less than a light year”.

If knowing that the stars are separated by at least four light-years is not enough but it’s still hundreds of times farther than Pluto’s orbit. On the other hand, as astronomers presume that the cloud of Oort, where millions of comets are found, could extend so far, a passing visitor would inevitably cause disturbances.

And the visitor in question, which has been baptized WISE J072003.20-084651.2, is a suspect of causing that, since 2015. This system is a binary one consisting of two dwarf stars and which is currently located at 22 light-years away from us.

In 2015, after thoroughly calculating its trajectory, the astronomers realized that it has probably passed very close to us 70,000 years ago.

The Scholz’s Star binary system disturbed comets from Oort cloud as it passed dangerously close to us 70,000 years ago

However, it hasn’t passed close enough to be seen by any curious Homo Sapien watching the sky from the cave’s entrance but close enough to disturb some comets, according to recent calculations.

According to the researchers, as the binary system passed by, it influenced the orbits of 339 comets, which, usually, are space objects that are following a trajectory that help them escape from the attraction of the Sun.

Normally, comets that come from the Oort cloud towards our Sun should randomly come from one part or the other of the sky but the pattern discovered by astronomers tends to point out an unusually high number of these comets originating from the same part of the sky.

The authors, however, are the first to admit the just a little is known about what is happening in the Oort cloud and they have elaborated the theory that the event discovered in 2015 is linked to the unusual comets trajectories. Thus, they say, it is possible that the Scholz’s Star binary system disturbed comets from Oort cloud as it passed dangerously close to us 70,000 years ago.


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Jeffrey likes to write about health and fitness topics, being a champion fitness instructor in the past.

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