A team of scientists from The University of Western Ontario has proposed a theory that Alpha Centauri, our nearest stellar neighbor, is sending a steady stream of interstellar material towards our solar system. This detection comes after the discovery of ‘Oumuamua in 2017, which was a landmark event in understanding interstellar objects.
According to the researchers, Alpha Centauri’s triple star system is likely ejecting material, including planets and asteroids, into space. The material is then gravitationally scattered towards our solar system, where it could be detected as meteorites.
The study suggests that there could be over 1 million objects larger than 328 feet in diameter from the nearby system lurking in the Oort Cloud. However, due to their small size and distance, most of these objects are unlikely to be detectable by current instruments.
Despite this, the researchers predict that around ten Alpha Centauri rejects could enter the Earth’s atmosphere, where they’d be visible as meteorites. These objects could originate from exoplanets in the star system, providing a potential glimpse into the characteristics of worlds light years away.
The study highlights the importance of understanding interstellar transport and its implications for exploring the interconnectedness of stellar systems.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/alpha-centauri-sending-stream-objects-131526018.html