'Cosmic trade route': Alpha Centauri and our Sun may be swapping space rocks
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Cosmic Drifters
Simulations suggest over a million interstellar objects are quietly roaming the outer solar system.
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Hidden Visitors
Unlike ‘Oumuamua, most alien objects never reveal themselves, remaining trapped by the Sun’s gravity.
Galactic Debris
Objects from Alpha Centauri may have permanently settled in the Oort Cloud, unseen for eons.
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Space Highways
Earth and Alpha Centauri may be swapping cosmic material, linking stellar systems in unexpected ways.
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Phantom Meteors
Tiny interstellar particles from Alpha Centauri may burn up in Earth’s atmosphere every year.
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Solar Captives
Instead of passing through, some interstellar objects get caught in the Sun’s gravitational net.
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Future Surge
When Alpha Centauri reaches its closest point in 28,000 years, interstellar arrivals may spike.
Unseen Exchange
Our solar system may be quietly trading space rocks with neighboring stars without us noticing.
Deep-Space Clues
Studying interstellar objects could reveal how planetary systems interact across the galaxy.