Giant Ringed Star: Could it Exist in the Galaxy?

[ajm133]

Might there somewhere in the galaxy by a star with a giant set of rings, just like those of our own saturn, only much bigger?

 

[Hurkyl]

Might there somewhere in the galaxy by a star with a giant set of rings, just like those of our own saturn, only much bigger?

You mean... like an asteroid belt? Or maybe a protoplanetary disk?

 

[turbo]

Perhaps, but the star would probably need some moon-sized or planet-sized bodies the herd the materials forming the rings so that they don't coalesce due to gravitation. Also, the materials forming the rings would have to be sized such that they could resist radiative pressure from the star and not get pushed away. Stars appear to be able to clear their environs of dusts quite efficiently.

 

[Cryptonic]

I believe the blue-giant star Acheron has a gas torus ring around it?

 

[Vanadium 50]

If you mean a star with rings that are proportionally as big and as far away as Saturn's - about 1-2 radii out - that's impossible. That close to a star and it's far too hot for ice (the material of Saturn's rings) to survive.

If you're talking about something more like an asteroid belt, sure - in fact our sun has one.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I believe the blue-giant star Acheron has a gas torus ring around it?

I am unfamiliar with any star of that name. (And it's an odd name for a star, as it refers to a river in Hades, and the ancients usually didn't put hadean features in the sky) Do you have it's Bayer designation?

 

[Cryptonic]

I am unfamiliar with any star of that name. (And it's an odd name for a star, as it refers to a river in Hades, and the ancients usually didn't put hadean features in the sky) Do you have it's Bayer designation?

I apologise, I meant Achernar (Alpha Eridani)! (doh!)

Interesting star.