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A team of “very excited” astronomers have discovered activity around a rare type of space object that is rocky like an asteroid but also opaque in dust and gas, like a comet.
These unusual celestial bodies are known as the Centaurs, as the half-man, half-horse creature of Greek mythology. They are actually minor planets and originate from the Kuiper Ice Belt on the edge of our solar system.
The objects are incredibly rare – in fact, despite astronomers scanning the sky relentlessly, only 18 active centaurs have been discovered since 1927. They are also extremely difficult to observe because they are faint, very distant, and move in unusual ways. For this reason, they are misunderstood.
Despite these obstacles, the team of scientists at Northern Arizona University developed a new technique for monitoring a Centaur called 2014 OG392 and made an important discovery.
The team created an algorithm to search for traces of activity in existing images from space. This allowed them to observe the 2014 OG392 converting solids to gas – a process known as sublimation – and leaving behind a long, comet-shaped halo.
The next step in the process was to use computer modeling to determine what types of ice could burn the rock to create the halo. The investigation identified carbon dioxide and ammonia as the most likely candidates.
This was a big breakthrough, and it resulted in 2014 OG392 losing its Centaur status to be elevated to a full-fledged comet. It even has a new name and will now carry the catchy moniker C / 2014 OG392 (PANSTARRS).
“I am very pleased that the Minor Planet Center has awarded a new comet designation corresponding to the activity we discovered on this unusual object,” said lead researcher Colin Chandler.
It is believed that celestial bodies like this date back to the dawn of the solar system and have barely changed in billions of years. Experts hope their study will help shed light on how planets, including Earth, formed and evolved.
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