Sunday, November 1, 2020

Chiron, minor planet, discovered 1977


Chiron, a minor planet between Saturn and Uranus, was discovered November 1, 1977, by Charles Kowal.  It was the first of a class of objects known as centaurs, astral bodies orbiting between the asteroid belt and the Kuiper Belt.  

It also has a classification as a comet, 95P/Chiron.

It has a radius of about 107.8 + 5km and rotates about every 6 hours.  It orbits the sun about every 50.5 years.

In February 1988, it brightened by 75%, which is typical of comets but not asteroids.  In April 1989, it developed a cometary coma, and in 1993, it formed a tail.  


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