Discovery of Asteroid With 2 Rings - Centaur Chariklo

In summary, the European Southern Observatory has discovered rings around an asteroid named Chariklo, which is part of a class of asteroids known as Centaurs. These rings were observed using a unique method and the results were published in the journal Nature. This discovery challenges our understanding of planetary rings and raises questions about their formation.
  • #1
Dotini
Gold Member
635
231
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.wral.com%2Fdiscovery-an-asteroid-with-rings%2F13510966%2F

"The European Southern Observatory announced this week the discovery of rings around an asteroid 1.4 billion miles from Earth. Chariklo is the largest of the class of asteroids orbiting the sun between Saturn and Uranus known as Centaurs. Results were published online today in the journal Nature."

Another link: http://aerospace.firetrench.com/201...double-ring-system-around-asteroid-like-body/
 
Last edited:
Astronomy news on Phys.org
  • #2
Very Cool. we were just discussing Rings in another thread and why they are typical of Gas Giants but not smaller bodies. Very interesting to read about this.
 
  • #3
DHF said:
Very Cool. we were just discussing Rings in another thread and why they are typical of Gas Giants but not smaller bodies. Very interesting to read about this.

Nature is a wondrous place, and Man is developing new tools of exploration, it is a pleasure to say. :smile:

This novel way of observing rings by occulting a star with a centaur might be hard to repeat. It will interesting to see how it affects discussion of planetary rings.
 

1. What is Centaur Chariklo and why is its discovery important?

Centaur Chariklo is a minor planet in our solar system that orbits between Saturn and Uranus. Its discovery is important because it is the first known Centaur (a type of small planet) to have rings, which provides valuable insights into the formation and evolution of these objects.

2. How were the rings of Centaur Chariklo discovered?

The rings were discovered in 2013 when the planet passed in front of a star, causing a dip in the star's brightness. The dip was observed by several telescopes and it was found that the dip was caused by two distinct rings around Centaur Chariklo.

3. What are the characteristics of the rings of Centaur Chariklo?

The inner ring is about 7 kilometers wide and the outer ring is about 3 kilometers wide. They are separated by a gap of about 9 kilometers. The rings are made up of water ice particles and are thought to be stable due to the gravitational forces of the planet's small moons.

4. How does the discovery of rings around Centaur Chariklo impact our understanding of the solar system?

The discovery of rings around Centaur Chariklo adds to the growing body of evidence that small planets in our solar system can also have rings. This challenges previous assumptions that only larger planets like Saturn could have rings. It also provides valuable information on the formation and evolution of these objects in our solar system.

5. What future research is planned for Centaur Chariklo and its rings?

Future research will involve further observations of the planet and its rings to better understand their composition and structure. Scientists also hope to study how the rings interact with the planet's moons and how they may change over time. This will provide further insights into the formation and dynamics of rings around small planets.

Similar threads

B Saturn's 145 Moons: The Latest Discoveries and What Sets Them Apart
    • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
16
Views
2K
The Lords of the Rings among centaurs
    • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
3
Views
1K
Epsilon Eridani: 2 Asteroid Belts and an Icy Ring
    • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
1
Views
2K
Water vapor observed venting from Ceres
    • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
6
Views
3K
NASA NASA's Hubble Discovers New Rings and Moons Around Uranus
    • Aerospace Engineering
Replies
2
Views
3K
Writing: Read Only What Does Great Lakes Earth Look Like from Space?
    • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
1
Views
3K
Mathematica This Week's Finds in Mathematical Physics (Week 242)
    • MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Replies
1
Views
2K
Mathematica This Week's Finds in Mathematical Physics (Week 226)
    • MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Replies
7
Views
2K
Mathematica This Week's Finds in Mathematical Physics (Week 226)
    • MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Replies
7
Views
3K
Mathematica This Week's Finds in Mathematical Physics (Week 231)
    • MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Replies
5
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top