JPL News: Centaurs' Origins Revealed with WISE Data

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the revelation of the origins of Centaurs, celestial bodies located between Jupiter and Neptune, through data provided by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). The findings indicate that nearly all Centaurs are cometary in origin, challenging previous classifications. The term "Centaurs" is derived from mythology, reflecting their dual characteristics as both asteroids and comets. Key resources include the JPL news release and a related scientific paper.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of celestial bodies and their classifications
  • Familiarity with NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)
  • Basic knowledge of cometary and asteroidal characteristics
  • Ability to interpret scientific papers in astronomy
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the methodology of NASA's WISE data collection
  • Explore the classification criteria for celestial bodies
  • Study the implications of cometary origins on Centaur behavior
  • Review the scientific paper linked in the discussion for detailed findings
USEFUL FOR

Astronomers, astrophysicists, and space enthusiasts interested in the classification and origins of celestial bodies, particularly those studying the dynamics of Centaurs and their relationship to comets and asteroids.

jim mcnamara
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JPL news:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-234
Paper:
http://iopscience.iop.org/0004-637X/773/1/22/


Quick precis:
Centaurs are smaller bodies orbiting out between Jupiter and Neptune, that have been difficult to classify. NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) has provided data to show that centaurs are almost all cometary in origin.

Centaurs are named after the half-man half-horse of mythology because of their apparent dual nature: asteroids that have characteristics of comets.
 
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Jim,
Thanks for the post and links

never heard of the Centaurs before, learn something new every day :)

Dave