A team of American astronomers has identified an object, although they are not sure if it is a minor planet or a mega comet, whose unusual orbit of 600,000 years, directs it towards the neighborhood of Earth. Baptized as 2014 UN271, it will approach only 11 astronomical units from the Sun and, although that does not put us at risk of impact, it is a really close encounter (remember that Saturn is about 10 AU). The object was discovered by astronomers Pedro Bernardinelli and Professor Gary Bernstein from the University of Pennsylvania (USA) thanks to data collected during the 2014 Dark Energy Survey.
The last time the object was this close to us, Neanderthals were still on the face of the Earth.
Too big for a comet and too small for a planet
2014 UN271 has an estimated size of between 100 and 370 km in diameter. If it is ultimately a comet from the outer solar system, its size is incredibly large. Initially described as a mega kite, it is much larger than the typical kites that we are used to. If it is (if it is a comet), it is the perfect candidate to fill the position of the largest we have ever seen.
A very eccentric orbit
Its orbit, as we have advanced, is quite strange as well. Analysis reveals that one end of this mega comet’s orbit is close to our Sun, while the other end extends to the Oort Cloud, the circumstellar disk of dust and gas that is considered the most distant region of our solar system. . Due to such a colossal distance between the two end points, it takes the mysterious object a whopping 612,190 years to complete a full orbit.
The object will reach the closest point to Earth in its extensive orbit in 2031, when it will reach roughly the same distance from the Sun to the planet, very close to Earth at astronomical levels. Thus, in 2031 it will almost touch the orbit of Saturn, before beginning its journey outward again.
It’s extremely rare for an object that normally orbits that far to head into the inner solar system, so the next visit will be an extraordinary opportunity for astronomers to study what a space rock like 2014 UN271 looks like without having to launch a probe into space. .
Will it be seen in heaven?
Despite being comparatively close to Earth, 2014 UN271 will, at best , appear in the night sky as brightly as Pluto itself or perhaps its moon Charon, making it extremely difficult to spot. detect without professional tools. It will take a powerful telescope to view it.
2014 UN271 is currently about 22 astronomical units from the Sun (Earth is 1 AU from the Sun), which puts it slightly closer than Neptune.
