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Related: About this forumPossible rings around minor planet Chiron
Possible rings around minor planet Chiron
by Deborah Byrd in » Science Wire, Space
Chiron is the second minor planet and the second centaur orbiting beyond Jupiter in the outer solar system suspected to have a ring system.
We started with one ringed planet, Saturn. Then, as technology improved and spacecraft began venturing out into the solar system, scientists discovered that rings also encircle Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune. And a year ago the minor planet Chariklo a peculiar small, rocky body orbiting between Saturn and Uranus, possessing qualities of both asteroids and comets was discovered to have rings. Now MIT scientists say that a second minor planet called Chiron may have rings. They announced their results this week (March 16, 2015) and published them in the journal Icarus.
If not rings, these scientists say, then Chiron might have jets, or a shell of dust. That would be interesting, too.
Both Chariklo and Chiron belong to a relatively new class of objects in our solar system called centaurs. They orbit the sun beyond the orbit of the fifth planet, Jupiter. A century ago, scientists didnt know of objects in this region of space. Most asteroids, after all, orbit closer in, between the orbits of Jupiter and the fourth planet, Mars. Astronomers found the first centaur (Hidalgo) in 1920. Astronomers didnt realize there would be more objects in this part of space until they found Chiron in 1977. Now Chariklo is the largest confirmed centaur at 160 miles (260 km) in diameter. Chariklo is as big as a mid-sized main-belt asteroid.
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http://earthsky.org/space/possible-rings-around-minor-planet-chiron?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=544689f3a1-EarthSky_News&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-544689f3a1-393525109
misterhighwasted
(9,148 posts)Do they know what the curious bright spots are on Chiron yet?
Think it was Chiron.
Fascinating and to think there are sooo many more out there to have a peek at.
Wonderful surprises await the space traveller.
Love it
longship
(40,416 posts)Not that there aren't any on Chiron, but at least none that I've heard of.
BTW, it is pronounced KY-Ron, with a hard ch. It's Greek, you know.
Like Pluto's moon Charon is pronounced KAY-Ron.
I know. Nobody is going to pronounce them that way.
misterhighwasted
(9,148 posts)Personalizes each one. Know them by their names.
Yes, Ceres is the one I was questioning.
Haven't heard any news as to the bright shiny spots.
longship
(40,416 posts)There's a satellite orbiting it.
misterhighwasted
(9,148 posts)Thanks much
longship
(40,416 posts)It just went into orbit around Ceres, which is now its extended mission. It usually takes some time for the data to be analyzed, but there will be regular press releases throughout the year.
Maybe the best place to go is NASA's Dawn page.
Regards.