Iceteroids!

There's a messy new bunch of kids in the solar system. Half comet and half asteroid they orbit in the main asteroid belt and leave a dusty gassy wake.

First discovered in 1996, the big question was if this was a comet that had been man handled around enough to fall into a very circular looking low inclination orbit? Or was this an icy asteroid that had formed in place. Now it turns we have the answer and there may be as many as 100 of these active thingamys.

Henry Hsieh who has been leading the investigative charge is calling them Main Belt Comets (MBCs). It's all very descriptive, but I prefer the catchier Iceteroids!

For more information see:

• Half Comet-Half Asteroid a Fluke? Nope | Universe Today
• Henry Hsieh's web page on MBC's
  

Perhaps they can name one of these after Pig-Pen :)

Click on the image above to check out the orbit of the 1st Iceteroid.

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