cometisteis

Cometisteis is a coined term that has appeared in some speculative discussions and fan literature to describe a hypothetical class of small Solar System bodies that blend features of comets and asteroids. It is not recognized as a formal category by major astronomical authorities and has no standardized definition. The term tends to appear in two main senses: a tentative scientific concept describing bodies with asteroid-like orbits that exhibit episodic or continuous outgassing; and a broader designation used in fiction or semi-scientific writing for objects that resemble comets in composition but lack the typical long-period orbits.

Origin and etymology: The name appears to be a blend of "comet" and the -ite/-ites suffix common to mineral and geological terms, used here to suggest a material or class. The exact origin and intended meaning vary by author, and no single, official etymology is established.

Proposed characteristics: In the scientific-leaning usage, cometisteis would be bodies on asteroid-like trajectories that show visible or spectrally detectable gas emissions, indicating volatile content and activity at relatively small heliocentric distances. Some discussions propose that cometisteis could arise from transitional objects undergoing resurfacing or exposure of volatiles due to collisions, frictional heating, or dynamical evolution.

Observational status and critique: Because there is no consensus or formal criteria, reports are largely hypothetical and often speculative. The term is sometimes used to discuss the broader category of active asteroids or main-belt comets, but it remains outside formal taxonomy and official catalogs.

See also: active asteroid, main-belt comet, cometary nucleus, trans-Neptunian object.