Scientists are baffled after discovering a unique asteroid-comet hybrid that's like NOTHING seen before
In the dark depths of the solar system, astronomers have discovered a truly baffling object. Centaurs are solar system bodies found between Jupiter and Neptune that move and behave like asteroids but produce glowing tails of gas and dust like comets. They found that Chiron's surface contains a cocktail of chemicals from a time predating the formation of the solar system including CO2, methane, and frozen water. Pictured: An artist's impression of Chiron When Chiron was discovered in 1977, it was the first of a new group of solar system bodies which astronomers dubbed Centaurs. This spectrum revealed that Chiron contains carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane which were part of the cloud of materials which existed before the solar system formed.
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