Discovery of cigar-shaped asteroid from outer space could help unveil secrets of extrasolar worlds

It came from outer space ... and went back there two weeks later, having astonished and excited astronomers and planetary scientists. A cigar-shaped object, less than half a kilometre long and barely bright enough to be detected by the world's most powerful telescopes, paid us a flying visit in October this year - reminding us that the heavens still hold plenty of surprises.