Chiron in Retrograde: The Cosmic Dance of a Celestial Centaur

In recent weeks, social media has buzzed with mentions of 'Chiron in retrograde'. But what exactly is Chiron? This cosmic body, discovered by Charles Kowal in 1977, defies traditional classification. Initially categorized as an asteroid, Chiron revealed its true nature as a comet when it was seen sporting a tail in 1989. Now, it's recognized as both.

Chiron, officially named (2060) Chiron, orbits the Sun in an elliptical path, sitting between Jupiter and Uranus and occasionally showing off rings. Classified among the 'Centaurs', these celestial objects have names harkening to Greek mythology—Chiron being the wisest centaur, the son of Titan Kronos. Recent data informed us of Chiron's retrograde motion phase, which began on July 30, 2025.

During this astronomical phenomenon, Chiron appears to be moving backward relative to Earth, despite all planets and asteroids orbiting the Sun in the same direction. This illusion, known as apparent retrograde motion, is comparable to passing a slower-moving car that seems to retreat as you overtake it. Although invisible to the naked eye, Chiron remains a captivating subject in astronomy.

(With inputs from agencies.)