Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Observed through the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), Chiron blurs the lines between comets and asteroids, challenging long-held classifications and hinting at deeper mysteries.
Part of the Centaur family, Chiron is a rare celestial hybrid—icy like a comet, yet rocky like an asteroid—offering a glimpse into the solar system's chaotic formation.
Discovered in 1977 by Charles Kowal, Chiron’s orbit between Jupiter and Neptune is highly unstable, making its study as elusive as its composition.
Chiron's surface features methane, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide ices. These volatile substances react to solar heating, hinting at unique chemical interactions below the surface.
The JWST provides unprecedented views of Chiron, revealing icy residues and gases that could unlock secrets about the solar system’s earliest days.
Chiron likely formed in the distant trans-Neptunian region before migrating to its current orbit, carrying with it chemical traces of the primordial solar system.
Findings of acetylene and propane on Chiron suggest complex surface reactions, challenging the idea of “standard” Centaur objects and revealing hidden evolutionary paths.
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Chiron’s volatile emissions are triggered by the Sun’s heat, offering rare insights into the interplay between solar radiation and celestial body chemistry.
Chiron’s journey from Centaur to comet sheds light on the solar system’s history, with JWST poised to reveal even more about this enigmatic hybrid.