In 2017, UH astronomers detected the first interstellar object to traverse our solar system; Hawai‘i scholars named it ‘Oumuamua, or “first scout from afar.” 

The discovery of a visitor from light years away set off an explosion of media coverage, but it was the object’s unexpected behavior—its irregular blinking, its acceleration unexplainable by gravity—that captured the imagination of astronomers around the world. Was it a comet, an asteroid, an alien space probe propelled by a light sail? 

Astronomer and astrobiologist Karen Meech led the team that first analyzed many of ‘Oumuamua’s puzzling characteristics, and she will join us live on June 25 to discuss the latest findings from years of research. Interviewed by UH Mānoa Provost Michael Bruno, she will discuss mysteries about ‘Oumuamua that may never be solved, UH’s role in scanning the heavens for near-Earth objects, and what’s involved in the scientific search for extraterrestrial life.