Overview

• Chiron, designated (2060) Chiron, was discovered in 1977 and exhibits both asteroid and comet characteristics in an orbit between Jupiter and Uranus.
• It began apparent retrograde motion on July 30, 2025, a phenomenon that will last until January 2, 2026, as Earth overtakes it in its orbit.
• The object’s ring system, confirmed in 2023, makes it the fourth known non-planetary body with rings in the Solar System.
• Tracking Chiron’s faint coma and rings during retrograde requires telescopes or long-exposure astrophotography.
• Astronomers anticipate that monitoring this retrograde passage will enhance understanding of centaur orbital dynamics and minor-body ring development.