Posted on Thursday, March 27, 2014
Until just recently there were four systems with rings known - the obvious and visible even with a small telescope - Saturn, and the other gas giants in the Solar system - Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune.
Now scientists have discovered rings around the asteroid Chariklo that is located between Jupiter and Saturn.
Chariklo has two rings, one 3 km wide, the other 7 km, and they are separated by a 9 km wide gap. The rings have already gained nicknames: Oiapoque and Chui.
Chariklo is the largest asteroid belonging to the centaur group of asteroids that have unstable orbits and are located between the orbits of Jupiter and Neptune and might cross the orbit of one or more of the giant planets.
Now scientists have discovered rings around the asteroid Chariklo that is located between Jupiter and Saturn.
Chariklo has two rings, one 3 km wide, the other 7 km, and they are separated by a 9 km wide gap. The rings have already gained nicknames: Oiapoque and Chui.
Chariklo is the largest asteroid belonging to the centaur group of asteroids that have unstable orbits and are located between the orbits of Jupiter and Neptune and might cross the orbit of one or more of the giant planets.