Centaurs Keep Their Rings From Greedy Gas Giants

universetoday.com ^ | 06/24/2016 | Matt Williams

[BenLurkin]

Centaurs are a population of objects within our Solar System that behave as both comets and asteroids (hence why they are named after the hybrid beasts of Greek mythology). 10199 Chariklo is the largest known member of the Centaur population, a possible former Trans-Neptunian Object (TNO) which currently orbits between Saturn and Uranus.

The rings around this asteroid were first noticed in 2013 when the asteroid underwent a stellar occultation. This revealed a system of two rings, with a radius of 391 and 405 km and widths of about 7 km 3 km, respectively. The absorption features of the rings showed that they were partially composed of water ice. In this respect, they were much like the rings of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and the other gas giants, which are composed largely of water ice and dust.

This was followed by findings made in 2015 that indicated that 2006 Chiron – another major Centaur – could have a ring of its own. This led to further speculation that there might be many minor planets in our Solar System that have a system of rings. Naturally, this was a bit perplexing to astronomers, since rings are fragile structures that were thought to be exclusive to the gas giants of our System.

[2banana]

The quest begins...

[fieldmarshaldj]

*ping*

[Jack Hydrazine]

Get ready... Uranus was mentioned!

How do you get rid of ring around the asteroid?

[Ken522]

How do you get rid of ring around the asteroid?

Use sparkling amounts of water and dust ....

[niteowl77]

Get ready... Uranus was mentioned!

"That's what she he the Trans-Neptunian Object said."

Mr.niteowl77

[Jack Hydrazine]

I bet ‘centaur’ in the near future will become another sexual gender or or someting similar to a furry.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks fieldmarshaldj.

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[SunkenCiv]

Thanks fieldmarshaldj, extra to APoD.

[Swordmaker]

I find the conclusions in this article to be suspect since they are all based on "computer simulations" of the Centaur Asteroids' encounters with computer simulated gas giant planets over 100 million years of orbits based on assumptions that the Centaur Asteroid's rings are composed of water, which is bogus since the existence of those rings in known only because of observation by occultation by instrumentation not equipped to test for composition. Ergo, the really don't know what those rings are made of. That assumption is a pure nose picking claim with out proof! Everything else is in the simulation is based on that original assumption. —Electric Universe PING!

Artist's Representation of a Centaur Asteroid
Note: the ring would not glow, it would be black

If you want on or off the Electric Universe Ping List, Freepmail me.

[PAR35]

“a possible former Trans-Neptunian Object”

Is a former Trans now normal? Is a Trans-Neptuian born that way, or was it a lifestyle choice?

[Red Badger]

Preparation H....

[Talisker]

Agree.

[Redcitizen]

You know these hybrids love being the centaur of attention by all the solar bodies.

[mikrofon]

"Ring around the Centaur .... Ring around the Centaur!"