Discovered in 1977 and classified as a ‘centaur’, 2060 Chiron resembles both an asteroid and a comet with its ice and stone structure. Centaurs, named after the half-human, half-horse creatures in Greek mythology, are known as celestial bodies that form in remote and cold regions of the Solar System and move towards the interior over time.
Observations made with NASA’s James Webb Telescope showed that the ice on Chiron’s surface is of a type never before seen on a centaur. Researchers, who detected molecules such as water ice, ethane and propane in a centaur for the first time, think that these molecules are formed as a result of the interaction of sunlight with methane and water on the surface. It is estimated that basic compounds such as water and carbon dioxide were included in the structure of Chiron 4.5 billion years ago, in the early period of the Solar System.
It is stated that Chiron, which is expected to approach the Sun over the next 20 years, will become brighter and provide scientists with the opportunity for detailed observation.
