JWST uncovers dynamic, evolving rings around Chariklo

Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers found that Chariklo’s two rings are changing: the inner ring is becoming more opaque while the outer ring is less opaque, revealed through stellar occultations observed since 2022. The results, published in Science Advances, suggest more complex ring physics than previously thought and prompt a reevaluation of how rings form and evolve on small solar-system bodies, aided by Gaia’s precise orbital data and JWST’s mission at the L2 point.