Rings Discovered Around an Asteroid.

[Polar Maritime]

We all know that Saturn is encircled by a system of rings, and perhaps you also know about the fainter rings around Uranus, Jupiter, and Neptune. But today, ESO astronomers have revealed a surprising discovery: there are also rings surrounding the asteroid 10199 Chariklo, a small, distant world orbiting the Sun far beyond Saturn. 

 

This makes 250-km-wide Chariklo the fifth world ever found to have rings, after the four planets mentioned previously, and, based on the observations, it could also even have its own moon.

“As well as the rings, it’s likely that Chariklo has at least one small moon still waiting to be discovered,†said Felipe Braga-Ribas of the Observatório Nacional/MCTI in Rio de Janeiro who planned the observation campaign and is lead author on the new paper. 

http://lightsinthedark.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/rings-discovered-around-an-asteroid/

[R.P. McMurphy]

We all know that Saturn is encircled by a system of rings, and perhaps you also know about the fainter rings around Uranus

 

Sure do....

[Polar Maritime]

Sure do....

 

I have never been able to see them for myself... 

Edited March 27, 2014 by Polar Maritime