Has the First Interstellar Comet Been Discovered?

Further observations of this object are very much desired. Unless there are serious problems with much of the astrometry listed below, strongly hyperbolic orbits are the only viable solutions. Although it is probably not too sensible to compute meaningful original and future barycentric orbits, given the very short arc of observations, the orbit below has e ~ 1.2 for both values. If further observations confirm the unusual nature of this orbit, this object may be the first clear case of an interstellar comet.

Is comet #C2017U1 a visitor from another solar system? Here's a simulation of its current nominal orbit. This simulation will run in your browser. https://t.co/M1O5an87qkWatch how fast it moves compared to a few other 2017 comet discoveries. pic.twitter.com/cq7U5eYKOu

Is comet #C2017U1 a visitor from another solar system? Here's a simulation of its current nominal orbit. This simulation will run in your browser. https://t.co/M1O5an87qkWatch how fast it moves compared to a few other 2017 comet discoveries. pic.twitter.com/cq7U5eYKOu

Did it come from Vega?Here are 2 more simulations of #C2017U1. They will run in your browser.A view of the comet as it approaches from the constellation Lyra:https://t.co/dCbPpNVPHaA view of the Sun from the comet:https://t.co/ARve4vwTuS pic.twitter.com/TsqGwCR82R

Did it come from Vega?Here are 2 more simulations of #C2017U1. They will run in your browser.A view of the comet as it approaches from the constellation Lyra:https://t.co/dCbPpNVPHaA view of the Sun from the comet:https://t.co/ARve4vwTuS pic.twitter.com/TsqGwCR82R