THE COSMIC NEIGHBORHOOD — Astronomers this month detailed a piece of rock orbiting around Jupiter that is of interstellar origins.<br /><br />That means the object came from somewhere outside our solar system and because of that, it's called an 'exo-asteroid.'<br /><br />The object, called 2015 BZ09, orbits the sun and passes by Jupiter, but in a weird way. Study author Dr. Helena Morais explained to CNN that both celestial bodies take around the same time to orbit the sun, but move in opposing directions: clockwise, and counterclockwise, meaning they pass each other twice.<br /><br />According to Cosmos Magazine, the exo-asteroid has been doing that for 4.5 billion years and will continue to do so forever. <br /><br />Last year scientists found this interstellar object passing through our cosmic neighborhood. Called Oumumua, this was said to be the solar system's first interstellar visitor. <br /><br />In other words, Oumumua is tourist, but the exo-asteroid, because of its orbit, isn't going anywhere.<br /><br />Details of the exo-asteroid was published in the journal, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters.
