Saturn encounter may have set distant centaur on path to becoming a comet
Researchers have observed the centaur 450P/LONEOS showing comet-like activity, likely triggered by a gravitational encounter with Saturn in 1992. This discovery provides insights into how icy bodies evolve as they migrate toward the inner solar system.
Why it matters
Studying these transitional objects helps scientists understand the origins of the solar system and the evolution of comets.
by Andrew Miller, University of Central Florida
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add as preferred source Wavelength-integrated image panels of 450P extracted from the JWST NIRSpec IFU datacube at different bandpasses (the effective wavelength is listed directly above each panel). Credit: The Planetary Science Journal (2026). DOI: 10.3847/psj/ae685c More than 3 billion miles (4.8 billion kilometers) from Earth, an ancient icy object is slowly awakening. As it drifts inward through the solar system, the frozen body known as Centaur 450P/LONEOS has begun releasing gas and dust—behavior more commonly associated with comets than with centaurs, the small icy objects that typically orbit between Jupiter and Neptune.
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