"Spiral UFO" Photographed by Hubble -- in the Asteroid Belt!!

No new releases of pictures of or information about P/2010 A2 through Mar. 3rd. Five new images were reported successfully taken of it on Feb. 22nd by the Hubble Space Telescope. The delay does seem odd. The previous batch of pictures, taken on Jan 25th and 29th, was released on Feb. 3rd, just five days after the latter images were made. So far this time, it's been nine days, and nothing heard. I suggested elsewhere that perhaps the object is not behaving as the aftermath of an asteroid collision can be reasonably expected to; maybe not dispersing, as predicted. This could cause a delay in releasing the images and commentary. Dr. Jewitt, et al may be struggling to adapt the asteroid collision scenario to the observations, or perhaps more reasonably, come up with an entirely new explanation for P/2010 A2. This would naturally take some time. No asteroid collision model has been able to satisfactorily account for the complex structures seen in the object. The tentative efforts in this direction are quite threadbare. Perhaps they're coming apart, altogether, right now. Ross

Amateur astronomer Bernhard Hausler provides a March 4th photograph of the object P/2010 A2. The object is small and dim in his image, due to his smaller telescope, but has the advantage of being far more recent than any offered by professionals. It reveals that the object has not dispersed or dimmed, as proponents of the asteroid collision scenario had expected. It appears just as compact as it did when discovered two months ago. Allowing for the greater distance from Earth, now, it is also just as bright. Given two months to play itself out, the asteroid collision theory seems to be faring rather badly. An alternative explanation from the astronomical community would seem to be indicated. Image at: www.amication.de...

[edit on 8-3-2010 by Ross 54]

More from amateur astronomer Bernhard Hausler. In addition to a new photograph, taken on March 11th, which shows that the object has continued undimmed, and undispersed, there is more. The position of the Sun, with respect to the 'tail' of the object P/2010 A2, has finally been worked out. The 'tail' is pointing just about directly AT the Sun, NOT away from it. This is the complete opposite of what was expected, and rules out the possibility that the tail is driven out by the Solar wind. When talk of this explanation for the tail began, everyone, including me, assumed that the Sun was in such a position that this could reasonably happen. This is not the case. A less probable scenario could not have been produced if they set out intentionally to do so. The tendency has been to explain this object in terms of what we know. First, as a main belt comet, then, when that explanation failed, due to the repeated failure to find cometary gas, as an asteroid collision. As this explanation falters, too, there is a problem. There is no expectation of finding anything other than comets and asteroids in this area of space. The official stance is that it must be one or the other, for what else COULD it be? A very good question; what else indeed? Ross

Nice Catch, Ross54!
I'm checking his site, he's been tracking the thingie for a few days now!
Starred.

Thanks for your interest, and the star, drakus. Actually, Bernhard Hausler has been tracking that mysterious object since January, near the date of its discovery. His latest photograph of it is from April 1st. With the refusal of professional astronomers to release their newer photographs, his site has been very helpful. The object still appears to be essentially unchanged since its discovery. The latest brightness figures I can find (mid-March) indicate the object is brighter now than when discovered. This is odd, as the object is substantially farther from Earth than it was three months ago, and one would expect a dissipating cloud of collisional debris to grow dimmer, in any case. Harvard University's Harvard College Observatory website had been posting some data on the object, with reasonable regularity, including brightness measurements, but have failed to do so for about a month, now. The orbit of the object has been well characterized mathematically, and its dimensions and period have remained as expected for the past ~3 &1/2 weeks, to a very high degree of accuracy. Any change in these figures now would indicate that the object is something more than a cloud of dust and gravel debris, which is still the 'official story'. The JPL/NASA Horizons Web Interface has the orbital data, updated daily. Ross

Originally posted by Ross 54
More from amateur astronomer Bernhard Hausler. In addition to a new photograph, taken on March 11th, which shows that the object has continued undimmed, and undispersed, there is more. The position of the Sun, with respect to the 'tail' of the object P/2010 A2, has finally been worked out. The 'tail' is pointing just about directly AT the Sun, NOT away from it. This is the complete opposite of what was expected, and rules out the possibility that the tail is driven out by the Solar wind. When talk of this explanation for the tail began, everyone, including me, assumed that the Sun was in such a position that this could reasonably happen. This is not the case. A less probable scenario could not have been produced if they set out intentionally to do so. The tendency has been to explain this object in terms of what we know. First, as a main belt comet, then, when that explanation failed, due to the repeated failure to find cometary gas, as an asteroid collision. As this explanation falters, too, there is a problem. There is no expectation of finding anything other than comets and asteroids in this area of space. The official stance is that it must be one or the other, for what else COULD it be? A very good question; what else indeed? Ross

Great post! So i am not too familiar with this object, although i know it does not look like any kind of asteroid.

So is it safe to assume this thing is orbiting around the sun? The reason i assume that is because you are saying the tail is facing the sun. I thought that the object was flying towards earth like at a straight shot, but is it orbiting?

Beast Master; Thanks for your post. Yes, P/2010 A2 is orbiting the Sun, inside the inner part of the asteroid belt. It's been observed since January, and the orbit is well understood. The tail is facing the Sun, which for different reasons doesn't fit well for either a comet or an asteroid collision The object is not headed for Earth. It is actually farther from Earth than it was 3 months ago. The Earth, in its faster orbital motion has drawn away from the object, which takes just under 3 & 1/2 years to orbit the Sun. Ross

To me the shape reminds me of the fabled Aztec Pheonix. The wings and then the tail trailing behind. Just my 2 cents worth.

reply to post by Ross 54


Nice thread. I will follow it.

The tail is facing the Sun, which for different reasons doesn't fit well for either a comet or an asteroid collision

Why ?

If a second object in direction to the sun hit the first one, you can have this trail.

why not ?

mixmix; Thanks for an interesting question. As far as the tails of comets are concerned, they consistently point away from the Sun, not toward it. The Solar wind drives them outward. Even if a comet were involved in the supposed collision, and its debris was thrown Sunward by the force of an impact, the pressure of the Solar wind would soon reverse this flow. It's been well over three months since the object was first sighted, already in its supposed post-impact state, and no knowing how long it had been in this state at that point. There is no sign of the 'tail' being turned, or pushed back, or changed in any significant way by the solar wind. Additionally, the 'tail' has been examined spectroscopically, repeatedly. No gases have been detected, as they should have been if this were the tail of a comet. In any case, in the aftermath of a collision in which both bodies were destroyed, as is supposed to be the case here, motion studies of other impacts indicate that the debris should be distributed roughly in a sphere around the impact site. This applies to comet-on-comet, asteroid-on-comet, and asteroid-on-asteroid impacts. A narrow tail in any direction would be a special, very unusual case, requiring a detailed explanation, which, to the best of my knowledge, has not been offered. Beyond this, a sunward tail of an asteroid collision would be subject to interactions with other fine debris, in which the asteroid belt abounds. In general, their motion is circular, around the Sun, which is to say: at right angles to this object's 'tail'. They would exert a push against the 'tail', as air molecules in a breeze push on smoke particles, forcing them to travel in the same direction, and eventually dispersing them. Yet we see this object's 'tail' holding a fixed bearing, and not dispersing. Ross

ill say spaceship, looks like a ship that has been travelling at warp speed you know um like moving space time instead of travelling at the speed of light (because that apparently isnt possible) and has collided with something large enough to throw it out of warp speed, obliterating it and shedding debris across a great area, if you think about it even the smallest object travelling at those speeds (or moving space at those speeds) could cast its debris across a massive distance before slowing, and could potentially maintain its basic shape due to the gravitational effects of warping space time... i dont think its two asteroids colliding, i dont think that both asteroids and their debris would maintain their distinct paths if they had met with such violent force...
hmmm.... looks radical though!

looks like some kind of portal, and the little ball is exiting og entering it. great photograph

Originally posted by Forest King
ill say spaceship, looks like a ship that has been travelling at warp speed you know um like moving space time instead of travelling at the speed of light (because that apparently isnt possible) and has collided with something large enough to throw it out of warp speed, obliterating it and shedding debris across a great area, if you think about it even the smallest object travelling at those speeds (or moving space at those speeds) could cast its debris across a massive distance before slowing, and could potentially maintain its basic shape due to the gravitational effects of warping space time... i dont think its two asteroids colliding, i dont think that both asteroids and their debris would maintain their distinct paths if they had met with such violent force...
hmmm.... looks radical though!

You don't know what either of those looks like.
And I'll say right now that the entire ''trident'' part is dust debris.
The dot, is an asteroid.

reply to post by Ross 54


Thanks for your lightfull answer.

To conclude, the tail is heading to sun in a stable circular orbit. And there's no any explanation.

So wait and see ?

The 'dot' near the 'trident' is asteroid 2010 AA 15. It has an orbit somewhat similar to P/2010 A2, but it has been determined that it never came nearer than 1 million, 400 thousand miles to the latter object. A good deal that was said, early on, about its connection to P/2010 A2, some even calling it the nucleus of the object, has been discredited. The orbit of P/2010 A2 is not circular, but somewhat eccentric. This accentuates the velocity difference between it and the ambient asteroidal debris, the drag effects of which would tend to average out as circular and heliocentric. I am watching this object closely and awaiting further developments. I find it a fascinating phenomenon. Only explanations that evoke new and unfamiliar causes seem at all likely to prove correct. Ross

[edit on 16-4-2010 by Ross 54]

reply to post by Ross 54

Only explanations that evoke new and unfamiliar causes seem at all likely to prove correct.

like what ?

second sun ??

mixmix; Have watched the story of this object unfold, almost from the date of discovery (Jan 6, 2010), and seen the likely explanations set up and fall short, one after another. First it was called a comet (it still bears the P designation of a periodic comet), but when no gas was detected, repeatedly, this explanation was discarded. It was then called a collision of asteroids, but this looks ever less likely. I am reminded of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's remark, to the effect that when the impossible is ruled out, whatever remains, no matter how improbable it seems, must be the truth. I don't know that we're quite at that point of definiteness, it appears to be still a matter of lesser and greater probabilities. Here is a short list of some of possible alternative explanations for P/2010 A2, each of which looks at least a little more appealing, the more we learn about the object, offered for whatever they may be judged to be worth: 1.) A projected image, perhaps not unlike a hologram. 2.) An interstellar space vessel 3.) A living creature of deep space, perhaps not unlike the one described in the novel The Black Cloud by astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle. Any of these three would bear considerable discussion. Anyone wishing to add to this list,, may do so. They key here is to find an explanation that is supported by the observations, which reveal an object that has reportedly maintained itself in its original, complex form for over three months, seemingly independent of natural forces. Ross

reply to post by Ross 54


Hi ross 54,

I choose 3)
A giant intersideral worm.

BTW,
I perform some internet search.

I don't found any NASA Hubble image from Feb 22nd. Not released yet ???

The only source who pinpoint the direction of the tail is also your source
www.amication.de

All others sources have not been updated.

2010 AA 15 is referenced by JPL for only 2 weeks.

mixmix; An interstellar worm? Who can say!? I'm holding out for a space vessel, because I think I can see a teardrop shape, broad end toward the Sun, not unlike Earth's magnetic field. Possibly an energy field surrounding a ship too small to be readily seen. All in the eye of the beholder perhaps . . . The newer Hubble Space Telescope images have not been released, and will not be for the time being. I communicated with Dr. David Jewitt who used the HST to make those images. He says he wants to better understand what they are actually showing before releasing them. He also spoke of giving priority to a paper he proposes to write on the object. I imagine the images will turn up there. In the meantime, I'm sure he wouldn't be happy to release the images, have someone else work out the correct explanation for the object, and steal his thunder. According to his agreement with NASA he can maintain control of the images for one year, releasing them, or not as he sees fit within that time. (all astronomers using the Hubble have the same agreement with NASA). Yes, it is amazing how practically all sources of information on P/2010 A2 has gone silent. Bernhard Haeusler's is one of the few that hasn't. There is a good article outlining of the situation with asteroid 2010 AA 15, under that title, at Wikipedia. Ross

reply to post by Ross 54


Hi Ross 54

He says he wants to better understand what they are actually showing before releasing them.

And with this amazing X shape, it was sure it will be discussed as an UFO on many forums.
So why did he released the first Hubble picture which have been seen all over internet, TV, ...?
why not updated the original news release or published a correction ?

is this Hubble picture could be faked ?
(sorry but ATS is a conspiracy website, so this question have to be raised)
Look the zoomed picture in the bottom right, If you create your own by zooming the large part you will notice some little difference !!!

how 2010 AA 15 can be near fully lighted if the sun is in his back ?
how can they missed that the trail is heading to the sun ?

In any way, I can wait one year but not in silence.
So it's an UOO. (unknown orbiting object) or a deep space UFO.
Science or entertainment, that the question ?