'Oumuamua: The Cosmic Wanderer T-shirt

'Oumuamua, the first known interstellar object to visit our solar system, was discovered in 2017 by astronomers using the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawaii. The name 'Oumuamua is Hawaiian for "a messenger from afar arriving first." Notice the character before Oumuamua, which is an okina (ʻ). The okina is a letter used in the Hawaiian language to indicate a glottal stop, which is like a quick, sharp break in the sound. Imagine saying "uh-oh." The break between "uh" and "oh" is a glottal stop. It looks like a single open quote mark (') and is used in many Polynesian languages to represent this sound.

Formally designated 1I/2017 U1, 'Oumuamua is a highly elongated object, approximately one-quarter mile (400 meters) long and ten times as long as it is wide, with a reddish hue. Scientists believe it originated from a distant star system and has been traveling through space for millions of years. Its unique origin and composition have fascinated both scientists and the public, highlighting the vastness and mystery of the universe.

What We Know:

• Interstellar Origin: 'Oumuamua's speed and trajectory suggest it came from beyond our solar system, traveling at about 196,000 mph.
• Hyperbolic Trajectory: It will continue its journey out of our solar system, never to return.
• Elongated Shape: Brightness variations indicate it's highly elongated, up to ten times longer than wide.
• Tumbling Motion: The object tumbles through space, rotating around multiple axes.

What We Don't Know:

• Exact Appearance: Specific surface features and overall appearance remain unknown.
• Composition: Its makeup is still a mystery, potentially containing gases like carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide but lacking visible dust.
• Origin: The exact star system 'Oumuamua came from is unknown. It could have originated from a younger star system and traveled through the galaxy for several billions of years.

Delve into the cosmic mystery with this design that captures one of the most intriguing discoveries in modern astronomy.

Image Credit: We composited our design from images produced by the European Southern Observatory / M. Kornmesser (https://science.nasa.gov/earth/nasa-learns-more-about-interstellar-visitor-oumuamua) and ESO/K. Meech Et Al. (https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/oumuamua)