Pole, Pericenter, and Nodes of the Interstellar Minor Body A/2017 U1

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the unique orbital features of asteroid A/2017 U1, confirming it as the first known interstellar object based on its peculiar orbit, orientation, and orbital nodes.

Contribution

It provides a detailed orbital analysis that highlights the distinctiveness of A/2017 U1 compared to known Solar System objects.

Findings

A/2017 U1 has an eccentricity much higher than typical hyperbolic comets.

Its orbital plane is oriented away from known clusters of similar objects.

The orbital nodes are far from planetary paths, supporting its interstellar origin.

Abstract

Here, we explore some peculiar orbital features of the recently discovered asteroid A/2017 U1, which is a clear outlier when considering the average value of the eccentricity of known hyperbolic comets. As for the orientation of its orbit in space, the orbital plane of A/2017 U1 seems to be away from any obvious clusters present for this population. The orbital nodes of A/2017 U1 are well away from the paths of the planets of the Solar System and the Sun. All these orbital properties appear to confirm A/2017 U1 as the first known interstellar asteroid.