2060 Chiron (IPA: [kaɪ ron]) is an object in the outer solar system with an orbit between those of Saturn and Uranus and a radius of 71±5 km [1]. Although it was initially classified as an asteroid, later dispute arose as to whether it was an asteroid or actually a comet. It was discovered in 1977 by Charles T. Kowal and named after Chiron of Greek legend. Chiron should not be confused with the moon of Pluto named Charon, discovered in 1978. Charles Thomas Kowal (born November 8, 1940) is an American astronomer. ... Jump to: navigation, search October 18 is the 291st day of the year (292nd in Leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1977 was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1977 calendar). ... The provisional designation of comets and asteroids are similar to each other: they both follow a pattern set in 1925 by the Minor Planet Center of the IAU. Historical designations At first, astronomers strove to assign symbols to the minor planets: 1 Ceres a stylized sickle 2 Pallas a lozenge... Jump to: navigation, search Minor planets, or planetoids are minor bodies of the Solar system orbiting the Sun (or of other planetary systems orbiting other stars) that are larger than meteoroids (the largest of which might be taken to be around 10 meters or so across) but smaller than major... The centaurs are a class of icy planetoids that orbit the Sun between Jupiter and Neptune, named after the mythical race of centaurs. ... Photo of the comet Hale-Bopp above a tree. ... In astronomy, an epoch is a moment in time for which celestial coordinates or orbital elements are specified. ... Jump to: navigation, search May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (131st in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Julian day or Julian day number (JDN) is the number of days that have elapsed since 12 noon Greenwich Mean Time (UT or TT) on Monday, January 1, 4713 BC in the proleptic Julian calendar . ... In astrodynamics, under standard assumptions any orbit must be of conic section shape. ... In geometry, the semi-major axis (also semimajor axis) a applies to ellipses and hyperbolas. ... Giga (symbol: G) is a prefix in the SI system of units denoting 109, or 1 000 000 000. ... Jump to: navigation, search The metre or (in American English) meter (symbol: m) is the SI base unit of length. ... The astronomical unit (AU or au or a. ... This article is about several astronomical terms (apogee & perigee, aphelion & perihelion, generic equivalents based on apsis, and related but rarer terms. ... This article is about several astronomical terms (apogee & perigee, aphelion & perihelion, generic equivalents based on apsis, and related but rarer terms. ... The orbital period is the time it takes a planet (or another object) to make one full orbit. ... See also Day (language) A day (symbol: d) is a unit of time. ... A Julian year is the length of an average year in the Julian calendar, 365. ... Jump to: navigation, search The orbital speed of a body, generally a planet, a natural satellite, an artificial satellite, or a multiple star, is the speed at which it orbits around the barycenter of a system, usually around a more massive body. ... Jump to: navigation, search The second (symbol: s) is the SI base unit of time. ... Inclination is one of the six orbital parameters describing the shape and orientation of a celestial orbit and is the angular distance of the orbital plane from the plane of the reference (usually planets equator or the ecliptic), stated in degrees. ... A degree (in full, a degree of arc), usually symbolized °, is a measurement of plane angle, representing 1／360 of a full rotation. ... The Longitude of the ascending node () is one of the orbital elements used to specify the orbit of an object in space. ... The argument of the perihelion is one of the orbital elements describing the orbit of a planet. ... In the study of orbital dynamics the mean anomaly is a measure of time, specific to the orbiting body p, which is a multiple of 2π radians at and only at periapsis. ... Jump to: navigation, search Mass is a property of physical objects that, roughly speaking, measures the amount of matter they contain. ... Jump to: navigation, search The international prototype, made of platinum-iridium, which is kept at the BIPM under conditions specified by the 1st CGPM in 1889. ... Jump to: navigation, search Density (symbol: ρ - Greek: rho) is a measure of mass per unit of volume. ... A cubic centimetre (cm3) is an SI derived unit of volume, equal to the volume of a cube with side length of 1 centi metre. ... Jump to: navigation, search It has been suggested that Gravitational constant be merged into this article or section. ... Jump to: navigation, search In physics, for a given gravitational field and a given position, the escape velocity is the minimum speed an object without propulsion, at that position, needs to have to move away indefinitely from the source of the field, as opposed to falling back or staying in... In astronomy, a rotation period is the time an astronomical object takes to complete one revolution around its rotation axis. ... Asteroids are assigned a type based on spectral shape, color, and sometimes albedo. ... Jump to: navigation, search In astronomy, absolute magnitude is the apparent magnitude, m, an object would have if it were at a standardized distance away. ... The albedo is a measure of reflectivity of a surface or body. ... Temperature is the physical property of a system which underlies the common notions of hot and cold; the material with the higher temperature is said to be hotter. ... Jump to: navigation, search The kelvin (symbol: K) is the SI unit of temperature, and is one of the seven SI base units. ... The International Phonetic Alphabet. ... Jump to: navigation, search Presentation of the solar system (not to scale) The solar system is the retinue of objects gravitationally bound to our Sun. ... In physics, an orbit is the path that an object makes, around another object, whilst under the influence of a source of centripetal force, such as gravity. ... Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 140 kPa Hydrogen >93% Helium >5% Methane 0. ... Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 120 kPa Hydrogen 83% Helium 15% Methane 1. ... Jump to: navigation, search An asteroid is a small, solid object in our Solar System, orbiting the Sun. ... Photo of the comet Hale-Bopp above a tree. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1977 was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1977 calendar). ... Charles Thomas Kowal (born November 8, 1940) is an American astronomer. ... In Greek mythology, Chiron (hand) — sometimes spelled Cheiron — was held as the superlative centaur over his brethren. ... Jump to: navigation, search Greek mythology comprises the collected narratives of Greek gods, goddesses, heroes, and heroines, originally created and spread within an oral-poetic tradition. ... Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 0. ... Charon (shair-un or kair-un, Greek Χάρων) is the only known satellite of Pluto. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1978 was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ...

In 1988 it was found that Chiron was undergoing an outburst in brightness (by about one magnitude), which is behaviour typical of comets but not asteroids. Further observations in 1989 showed that Chiron had developed a cometary coma. Jump to: navigation, search 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) is a leap year starting on a Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The comet Ikeya-Zhang exhibiting a bright, condensed coma (march 2002) In astronomy, the nebulous envelope around the nucleus of a comet is called its coma (from the Latin word for hair). It is formed when the comet passes close to the sun on its highly elliptical orbit; as the...

At the time of its discovery, Chiron was close to aphelion, whereas the observations showing a coma were done closer to perihelion, perhaps explaining why no cometary behavior had been seen earlier. This article is about several astronomical terms (apogee & perigee, aphelion & perihelion, generic equivalents based on apsis, and related but rarer terms. ... This article is about several astronomical terms (apogee & perigee, aphelion & perihelion, generic equivalents based on apsis, and related but rarer terms. ...

Chiron is officially both a comet and an asteroid, more proof of the very fuzzy dividing line. As a comet, its name is 95P/Chiron. There are two other asteroids that are also listed as comets: 4015 Wilson-Harrington and 7968 Elst-Pizarro. Comet Wilson-Harrington is a periodic comet (formally designated 107P/Wilson-Harrington). ... Comet Elst-Pizarro is a periodic comet (formally designated 133P/Elst-Pizarro). ...

Chiron is now classified as a centaur, the first of a class of objects orbiting between the outer planets. Centaurs are not in stable orbits and will eventually be removed by the giant planets. It has been calculated that in 1664 BC Chiron approached Saturn to within approx. 16 million kilometres; only 3 million km. further away than Saturn's largest outer moon Phoebe, and within the orbital radii of many of Saturn's newly discovered minor satellites. Chiron is probably a refugee from the Kuiper belt. The centaurs are a class of icy planetoids that orbit the Sun between Jupiter and Neptune, named after the mythical race of centaurs. ... Jump to: navigation, search A planet in common parlance is a large object in orbit around a star that is not a star itself. ... Jump to: navigation, search Adjective Saturnian Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 140 kPa Hydrogen >93% Helium >5% Methane 0. ... For other meanings see Phoebe. ... Artists rendering of the Kuiper Belt and more distant Oort cloud. ...

Other centaurs such as 5145 Pholus are being observed for possible cometary behavior, but none has been seen so far. 5145 Pholus (FOE luss) is a Centaur in an eccentric orbit, with a perihelion near the orbit of Saturn and aphelion near the orbit of Neptune. ...

Its discovery was publicized enough in the popular press that a school in astrology emerged assigning it a great importance. Jump to: navigation, search An astrological chart (or horoscope) - Y2K Chart — This particular chart is calculated for January 1, 2000 at 12:01:00 A.M. Eastern Standard Time in New York City, New York, USA. (Longitude: 074W0023 - Latitude: 40N4251), using the tropical zodiac Astrology (from Greek: αστρολογία = άστρον, astron...

References

• Luu JX, Jewitt DC, Trujillo C (2000). Water Ice in 2060 Chiron and Its Implications for Centaurs and Kuiper Belt Objects Astrophysical Journal 531 (2): L151-L154. PMID 10688775
• Patrick Moore Guinness book of Astronomy ISBN 0851123759

… | Previous asteroid | 2060 Chiron | Next asteroid | … The Astrophysical Journal is one of the foremost research journals devoted to recent developments, discoveries, and theories in astronomy and astrophysics. ... Jump to: navigation, search This article is about Patrick Moore, the astronomer. ... The Guinness book of Astronomy is a book (ISBN 0851123759) by Patrick Moore, a British astronomer. ...