Craig Charles: UFO Conspiracies

In 2017, astronomers operating the Pan‑STARRS observatory detected an unusual object passing through the Solar System. They designated it ‘Oumuamua’, marking it as the first confirmed visitor originating from interstellar space. The discovery sparked widespread interest in the scientific community regarding objects travelling between stars.

SETI is a television programme presented in an episode format. It falls under the broad category of scientific broadcasting and aims to bring viewers up‑to‑date with the latest developments in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. The series is structured as a series of stand‑alone episodes, each concentrating on a particular event or discovery that has relevance to the field. The central focus of this particular episode is the remarkable series of observations made in 2017. During that year, astronomers working at the Pan‑STARRS observatory detected an object travelling through the Solar System that had never been seen before. The team gave the object the name Oumuamua, recognising it as the first visitor to be identified as coming from interstellar space. The episode follows the moment the object was spotted, the decision to name it, and the realisation that it represented a completely new class of celestial body. Further segments of the programme detail how the discovery of Oumuamua was recorded and communicated by the Pan‑STARRS team. It outlines the steps taken by the scientists to confirm that the object was indeed of interstellar origin, and it highlights the significance of having a tangible example of material arriving from beyond our own star system. By concentrating on these factual moments, the episode provides a concise account of a milestone in modern astronomy.