Interstellar object

1I/ʻOumuamua, the first confirmed interstellar object passing through the Solar System, in 2017

An interstellar object is a non-stellar astronomical object not in closed orbit around a stellar object. Interstellar refers to the space between stars. Such objects are so far away, that they are not locked to a star (or stellar object) through gravitation.

Interstellar objects usually travel through space on a more or less straight line. When near a star, they travel too fast to remain nearby. They pass near a given star only once, not in a repeating orbit. Typical interstellar objects are similar to asteroids and comets.

Spacecraft (e.g. Voyager 1) that escape our star system are usually not called interstellar objects because they are not natural.

Interstellar objects seen in our solar system

As of 2026, three interstellar objects have been observed transitioning our solar system.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.