Researcher Noemí Pinilla-Alonso explained that the composition is uncharacteristic of objects near Neptune. Its gaseous and solid states, which lead to behavior like that of an asteroid and a comet, are also head-scratchers.

In the icy expanse beyond Jupiter and Neptune, a peculiar celestial body named Chiron has puzzled scientists for decades. Officially classified as 2060 Chiron, this 125-mile-wide object blurs the boundaries between asteroid and comet.

Scientists have discovered new characteristics of a small body which orbits the sun between Jupiter and Neptune, providing more clues about the origins of the Solar System. Chiron is a unique celestial object known as a centaur that has features of both asteroids and comets.