Mysterious object found orbiting the Sun once every 50 years

Recent observations from the James Webb Space Telescope have unveiled fascinating details about the centaur Chiron, a hybrid celestial body that exhibits characteristics of both asteroids and comets. They detected frozen carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide on Chiron's surface, along with carbon dioxide and methane gases in its coma—the cloud of gas and dust surrounding it. Charles Schambeau, a co-author of the study, described Chiron as an "oddball" among centaurs due to its unique features, including potential rings of material and a debris field. As Chiron approaches Earth in the coming years, researchers plan to conduct further studies to gain deeper insights into its ice reservoirs and chemical properties, promising exciting advancements in our understanding of these ancient celestial bodies.