The Tale of Scholz’s Star

A new study has revealed evidences that depict the existence of a red dwarf star called Scholz’s star. It grazed the solar system 70,000 years ago. When this star passed the Earth, at that time the early humans and Neanderthals shared the Earth.

It looked like a faint reddish light in the sky. As part of the new study the research team examined 339 known solar system bodies with hyperbolic orbits. There are two possibilities: Objects on hyperbolic orbits may have come from interstellar space, just like 'Oumuamua; they could also be natives nudged onto weird tracks by gravitational interactions with the sun or some of its planets.

The team calculated the radiants or positions in the sky from which all these hyperbolic objects are estimated to have come. The team found a very unexpected result i.e., a statistically significant accumulation of radiants. The pronounced over-density appears projected in the direction of the constellation of Gemini, which fits the close encounter with Scholz's star.

The team further highlighted eight other bodies that may be interstellar interlopers, including Comet ISON.

By: Anuja Arora

Content: https://www.space.com/40043-star-grazed-our-solar-system-disrupted-orbits.html