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Image depicting meteor CNEOS

Meteor CNEOS is an interstellar object

 

Recommended for Secondary Grades

 

Recently, the US Space Command has confirmed that a meteor hit Earth in January 2014.

What is a meteor?

A meteor is a small body of matter from outer space that enters Earth’s atmosphere and it appears as a streak of light.

The researchers have measured the velocity and trajectory of the meteor and they suggest that it came from a different solar system. The measurement of the meteor is 1.5 feet across. They suggested that it is the first interstellar object.

Meteor CNEOS

The meteor CNEOS crashed along the Northeast coast of Papua New Guinea on 8th January 2014. It remained unnoticed until Amir Siraj, a researcher from Harvard searched for Oumuamua (the first interstellar object in our solar system).

Oumuamua was found in 2017 and while investigating it, Amir found CNEOS in the database. Later, it was identified as an interstellar object in 2019.

The meteor CNEOS came into Amir’s eyes due to its speed. It was moving at a speed of about 45 kilometres per second relative to Earth. To define the path and orbit of the meteor, its speed is measured relative to the sun.

The researcher found that the meteor was in an unbound orbit. Also, it is not part of our solar system. According to the researchers, other meteors and planets that are part of the solar system, they travel in a closed orbit around the sun.

The research is ongoing and we may find other new discoveries in the space as well. See the post by USSC to learn more about the meteor.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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