If it is indeed a slow rotator AND it's binary/contact binary that's even more puzzling just from a conservation of momentum standpoint. Would have had to have been an extremely low-velocity capture indeed and one or both of them had to be barely rotating in the first place.

I suppose it's possible that there were one or more encounters with or impacts by other objects at some point in the distant past that hit all the various vectors just right to create this hypothetical binary, but it is very empty way out there, not like the inner system at all. Not really buying that scenario.

If it's a (non-contact) binary we'd be referring to a slow orbital revolution rather than rotation. My odds would favor a peanut shaped single object, like Halley or Borelli. This would mean a sizeable neck if it is a contact binary. At least so far there hasn't been any hint of a saddle point or minimum of pixel intensity between the two "lobes".

Less than 1 lunar distance now; 7 hours to close the remaining gap, just like after launch (Newton's First Law )

At the press conference Dr. Spencer used a pen to demonstrate how if it rotates perpendicular to its long axis, and the rotation axis is facing you, you see the same surface all the time.

based on failsafe1 artist concept


as seen from NH

Hmm, evaporation from the sunrise side removes mass and momentum, transfers it to the evening-side via condensation....

"In Lower Pomerania is the Diamond Mountain... every hundred years a little bird comes and sharpens its beak on it"
The Brothers Grimm

"You must think that's a helluva long time!... Two Billion years...Personally? I think that's a helluva bird"
Steven Moffat/Peter Capaldi

Less than 200K miles now.

My interpretation,

One hour and 53 minutes to closest approach now.

I'm imagining it as something with a form like Methone, but probably not as smooth. Perhaps this vast and remote neighborhood could have been quiet enough through the ages to prevent any disruptions that would result in an irregular form.

I expect a crater-less comet like object.

I predict more than 1 crater.

Less than an hour left....

Surrounded by millions of tiny orbiting particles

Hope not as NH would be destroyed.