Wednesday, November 15, 2017

A/2017 U1 renamed 1I

The International Astronomical Union has reclassified the interstellar asteroid A/2017 U1 to 1I. The digit one indicates it is the first object under this category. The letter i represents the interstellar classification.

They also applied a given name, 'Oumuamua. This is a Hawaiian term meaning "scout." The first element ʻOu means "reach out for" and mua, repeated for emphasis​, means the "first, in advance of."

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