The James Webb telescope has focused its attention on an oddball space rock lurking between Jupiter and Neptune. The unusual "centaur," named 2060 Chiron, has features of both comets and asteroids.

The vast expanse of space often feels like a puzzle, with celestial objects serving as pieces that hold clues to the universe’s origins. Among these, Chiron, a rare hybrid between an asteroid and a comet,

While this is considered a “close approach” by interstellar standards — NASA defines near-Earth objects (NEOs) as those that come within 4.6 million miles — we’re not about to get some cosmic coal shoved down our stockings so to speak.

XN1, nicknamed the "Christmas Eve asteroid," will pass Earth at a speed of 14,743 mph on December 24, reaching its closest point at 02:56 am GMT.

So instead of it being just a Merry Christmas, it will be a Merry Asteroid-miss.Jingle bells, jingle bells, an asteroid's on its way: How big is the asteroid passing Earth this Christmas?Asteroid 2024 YP is estimated by NASA to be as much as 21 meters in diameter.