Centaur's Bright Surface Spot Could be Crater of Fresh Ice

1. What is the composition of the ice?

The researchers aren't certain about the ice's makeup. Their analysis suggests that some sections of the ice possess strong similarities to water ice. The astronomers speculate that the chunk of ice could be composed of a new combination of known ingredients.

2. Have astronomers observed other Centaurs?

By latest count, scientists have discovered 21 Centaurs. These small, dim, icy bodies are considered escapees from a vast reservoir of comets, the Kuiper Belt beyond Pluto. The Centaurs' orbits were disrupted, and the objects were flung into the region between the orbits of Neptune and Jupiter. The researchers speculate that the violent collision that caused the impact crater on 8405 Asbolus knocked it out of the Kuiper belt.