The astronomical body, Chiron (once thought to be a comet or asteroid, now considered a 'planetoid' or small planet-like body) is named after the ancient Greek, centaur demi-god who was horse from the waist down and human from the waist up. Chiron's orbit, unlike that of the asteroids, lies between Saturn and Uranus, and is irregular in that it occasionally crosses inside the orbit of Saturn. This astronomical characteristic is symbolic of Chiron's reputation for being somewhat of a maverick.

Chiron was no ordinary run-of-the-mill centaur at the mercy of instincts and appetites. He displayed such self-mastery and was so wise and gifted in both the arts of healing and the arts of war and statesmanship, that he found himself mentor to heroes and kings and their sons. His service was of such value that he was granted immortality by the gods. Chance would have it that he was accidentally wounded in the foot by one of his own poisoned arrows, carelessly tossed by one of his fosterlings (Heracles). Since by this time he was immortal, the result of this mishap was that Chiron was condemned by fate to suffer eternally the agonies of a poisoned wound that could not be healed. In order to obtain release from his endless suffering, the wise old centaur decided to relinquish the mantle of immortality that had been bestowed upon him. He gave it, instead, to Prometheus (who needed it to be freed from the punishment he suffered for mocking the gods and stealing their fire). In this way, Chiron embraced death and found release from his suffering.

Astrologically, Chiron's placement in the horoscope indicates one's experience of the wound that does not heal, (or the wound that does not seem to heal, because although an important lesson may be learned through dealing with it, the wound seems to spiral around with another lesson on a deeper level). Chiron represents one's experience of woundedness and the nature of the wound. Second, by coming to terms with suffering through an acceptance of one's mortality, one arrives at a greater state of wholeness or healing. Third, Chiron shows how one comes into one's own as an elder or mentor who can provide healing and guidance to others. Thus Chiron also astrologically indicates the ways and means with which you can guide others, as well as the kind of mentoring and healing you seek for yourself.