Astronomers have found that a first-of-its-kind "tailless comet" may offer clues into long-standing questions about the solar system's formation and evolution, according to research published Friday in the journal Science Advances.

The "Manx" comet, named after a breed of cats without tails, is made of rocky materials that are normally found near Earth. Most comets are made of ice and other frozen compounds and were formed in solar system's frigid far reaches.

Researchers believe the newly found comet was formed in the same region as Earth, then was slung to the solar system's outer reaches as planets jostled for position.