By analysing the brightness of the cucumber-shaped object, the researchers discovered that Oumuamua wasn’t spinning like most other asteroids
At the end of last year, an interstellar asteroid called Oumuamua flew through our solar system sparking fears that it was an alien spaceship.
Now, a new study by researchers from Queen’s University Belfast, has revealed that the asteroid had a violent past, which caused it to tumble so chaotically.
By analysing the brightness of the cucumber-shaped object, the researchers discovered that Oumuamua wasn’t spinning like most other asteroids.
The reason for this remains unclear, but the researchers believe Oumuamua may have collided with another asteroid before it was thrown into interstellar space.
Dr Wes Fraser, one of the authors of the study, said: “Our modeling of this body suggests the tumbling will last for many billions of years to hundreds of billions of years before internal stresses cause it to rotate normally again.
"While we don't know the cause of the tumbling, we predict that it was most likely sent tumbling by an impact with another planetesimal in its system, before it was ejected into interstellar space."
Until now, scientists had been puzzled that Oumuamua's colour varied between measurements.