The discovery and orbit of /2060/ Chiron

'Slow-moving Object Kowal' was discovered as an asteroidal object of photographic magnitude about 18 on photographic plates made on October 18 and 19, 1977 with the 122-cm Schmidt telescope at Palomar Observatory. It was determined that the object was located between 14 and 17 AU from the earth in a low-inclination, near-circular orbit. Examination of subsequent plates and earlier observations of the area allowed a more exact calculation of the orbital elements, which suggest the object to be in 3:5 resonance with Saturn at a perihelion of 8.5 AU. The object's orbital behavior suggests that of an inactive comet perturbed by Saturn from a previous orbit, however its magnitude is uncharacteristically large for a comet. It is proposed that object Kowal was once an ordinary minor planet that was deflected into its present orbit by collisions with other minor planets and a series of encounters with Jupiter and Saturn. The object has received the minor planet number (2060) and the name of Chiron has been proposed.