Astronomers found evidence of three rings around Chiron, which orbits the Sun between Uranus and Saturn.
Material around Chiron, a small icy world in the far reaches of the solar system, may be taking shape into a ring system of its own. The rare event is unfolding in real time, giving astronomers a unique opportunity to witness the evolution of celestial bodies.
A team of scientists from Brazil observed initial hints of three rings forming around Chiron, transforming from a cloud of debris into a full-fledged system circling the unusual object. The recent findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters and may be the first time astronomers are able to peek into the formation process of rings around an object.Put a ring on it
While Saturn boasts the most complex ring system in the solar system, gas giants Jupiter, Neptune, and Uranus all have rings of their own. Aside from the giant planets, centaur Chariklo, and dwarf planets Haumea and Quaoar, they are the only small worlds in the solar system known to have rings as well. These rings are typically formed from the debris that is pulled into a planet’s gravitational field.
