I'm trying to think of a good word for an asteroid/planetoid that has no stable orbit but has been ejected from a system and is passing close to a sun. Any help?
What are other names for planetoids that aren't orbiting a solar system, but hurtling through space?
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$\begingroup$ Welcome to Stack Exchange watercollider. I think your question could be cleaned up a little. Isn't a planetoid an asteroid? $\endgroup$– Bob516Commented Nov 30, 2019 at 14:02
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$\begingroup$ Are you looking for an existing alternative or do you want a new one? $\endgroup$– Mitch HarrisCommented Nov 30, 2019 at 17:21
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3$\begingroup$ "A rogue planet (also termed an interstellar planet, nomad planet, free-floating planet, unbound planet, orphan planet, wandering planet, starless planet, or sunless planet) is a planetary-mass object that orbits a galactic center directly." $\endgroup$– Keith McClaryCommented Dec 1, 2019 at 23:22
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1$\begingroup$ I'd recommend that you consider their orbits open, unbound or non-periodic, but not "unstable". In orbital mechanics "unstable" usually applies only to closed, bound, and periodic orbits. $\endgroup$– uhohCommented Dec 9, 2019 at 0:51
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1 Answer
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See nnnnnn's comment below.
The NASA website, describing 'oumuamuam, uses the term "interstellar object." Extrasolar asteroid would seem to be another option. I haven't seen a unique word different from asteroid that originated outside of the solar system.
It seems a simple prefix is sufficient to describe objects beyond the solar system, i.e. exoplanet.
Scienfitic American has an article which uses the term "interstellar object."
Also, see answers to:
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3$\begingroup$ Isn't exoplanet normally used to describe planets that orbit stars other than our Sun? As compared to rogue planets, which do not orbit a star. $\endgroup$– nnnnnnCommented Dec 1, 2019 at 1:39
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$\begingroup$ @nnnnnn Yup, you are right. You should write that as an answer and not just as a comment. $\endgroup$– Bob516Commented Dec 1, 2019 at 1:46
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3$\begingroup$ Well I don't think it is a complete answer because it doesn't apply to smaller objects. I guess rogue could also be applied to asteroids and so forth, but I didn't post an answer because I don't have sources I can quote to back that up. $\endgroup$– nnnnnnCommented Dec 1, 2019 at 1:58