New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) provide scientists with a deeper understanding of (2060) Chiron, a hybrid space rock exhibiting characteristics of both comets and asteroids. The telescope detected frozen carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in Chiron's icy nucleus, along with carbon dioxide and methane in its surrounding gas cloud. These findings could shed light on the formation and evolution of comets and centaurs, celestial bodies with properties of both asteroids and comets, offering insights into the early solar system.
New James Webb Space Telescope findings are giving scientists a fresh look at an"oddball" space rock that has features similar to both comets and asteroids.
Discovered in 1977, Chiron orbits the sun about once every 50 years, traveling in an oblong loop in the region between Jupiter and Neptune. In the new study, published Dec. 18 in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics, researchers described their observation of the centaur on July 12, 2023 at a range of more than 18 times the distance from Earth to the sun.The team found carbon dioxide and methane gases in Chiron's coma, the cloud of gas and dust around the nucleus.
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