Tag

Rings

All articles tagged with #rings

space21 days ago•7 min saved

Chariklo’s shifting rings hint at active dynamics in the smallest ringed world

New JWST occultation data show Chariklo’s two rings have evolved: the inner ring C1R thickened while the outer ring C2R faded, suggesting real temporal evolution rather than just a viewing geometry effect. Explanations include wavelength-dependent scattering in infrared or actual material transfer, possibly aided by an unseen shepherd satellite. A follow-up visible-light occultation is needed to confirm the cause and distinguish true change from observation effects.

via Ars Technica|

#chariklo #jwst #minor-bodies

space24 days ago•110 min saved

Webb spots evolving rings around Chariklo, a tiny ringed centaur

James Webb Space Telescope observations show Chariklo's two rings changed opacity since earlier views: the inner ring is denser while the outer ring is more transparent. Scientists propose three explanations—higher-resolution viewing revealing ring substructure, changes in ring material or grain properties, or wavelength-dependent scattering—and note that a follow-up stellar occultation could help confirm the findings and improve understanding of ring dynamics around distant small bodies.

via Live Science|

#centaur #chariklo #james-webb-space-telescope

space26 days ago•12 min saved

Chariklo’s Tiny Ring System May Be in Flux, Webb Observations Hint

Chariklo, a ~250‑km icy body, hosts two very narrow rings whose opacities appear to change on yearly timescales: the inner C1R became about 50% more opaque and the outer C2R faded by roughly 60% since 2017, while the rings’ radii stayed essentially the same. Webb’s 2022 near‑infrared occultation, alongside earlier visible observations, suggests this could reflect dust grain size or composition effects rather than outright material loss, though both are possible. Explanations range from new material or collision-produced grain clouds in the inner ring to continued confinement or replenishment mechanisms for the outer ring, such as shepherd moons or resonances. The study indicates Chariklo’s rings are dynamic rather than static ornaments, and further occultations are needed to confirm the causes of the changes.

via Space Daily|

#chariklo #occultation #opacity

science27 days ago•134 min saved

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.

via Space|

#chariklo #james-webb-space-telescope #occultation

space1 month ago•13 min saved

Webb Finds Ancient Hydrated Clay on Neptune’s Inner Moons, Hinting at a Lost Satellite System

NASA’s JWST detected magnesium-rich phyllosilicates on Neptune’s tiny inner moons Larissa and Galatea and on its rings, a hydrated mineral signature formed by liquid water. The small, cold moons could not have heated enough to create these minerals, implying they inherited them from much larger, differentiated icy satellites that were shattered when Neptune captured Triton. Fragments from that primordial system likely remain as the current inner moons and rings, with Nereid possibly a surviving member; the researchers note alternate scenarios and call for more simulations and spectra to confirm the history.

via Space Daily|

#neptune #phyllosilicates #rings

space1 month ago•12 min saved

Phobos inches toward Mars—potentially forming a temporary ring in tens of millions of years

Mars’s inner moon Phobos is spiraling inward at about 1.8 centimeters per year due to tidal interactions; models suggest the moon’s weak interior could break apart in roughly 20–40 million years, spreading material into a temporary ring around Mars that might last from 1 million to 100 million years before debris either falls to the planet or disperses. Whether Phobos stays intact depends on its internal strength, with a stronger, more coherent interior potentially surviving closer to Mars while weaker material would disintegrate sooner.

via Space Daily|

#mars #phobos #planetary-science

entertainment2 months ago•1 min saved

Paris stroll fuels buzz: Hadid and Cooper wear matching rings

Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper were spotted walking hand-in-hand in Paris, both wearing gold rings, which has fans buzzing about a potential engagement as they enjoyed a casual, athleisure outing and headed toward a hotel.

via Harper's BAZAAR|

#bradley-cooper #engagement-rumors #entertainment

science2 months ago•8 min saved

Venus May Harbor Ring-shaped Polarization Signals From Atmospheric Waves

A 2010 Venus observation with the Extreme Polarimeter showed possible concentric rings visible only in polarized light; initially suspected as an instrument artifact, simulations indicate 5–10% upper-atmosphere density variations caused by atmospheric gravity waves could produce similar rings. The signal hasn’t yet been replicated, but the authors published their findings to spur further observations with newer polarimeters, which could reveal how Venus’ atmospheric waves transport energy and relate to its famous superrotation.

via ScienceAlert|

#atmosphere #gravity-waves #polarization

space2 months ago•4 min saved

NASA backs bold plans to touch Saturn’s rings with a touch-and-go probe and a swarm of tiny voyagers

NASA’s NIAC program funds two bold concepts to study Saturn’s rings: PRAXIS would perform touch‑and‑go sampling of a moving ring particle with an AI-guided, flexible boom; a second plan envisions about 10,000 actively steerable femtosatellites flying through the rings, atmosphere and magnetic field to create a 3D map of composition, density and magnetism. Both are early-stage concepts aimed at distributing risk rather than relying on a single spacecraft, with the goal of uncovering how the rings formed and their age, potentially signaling a new era of Saturn exploration after Cassini.

via The Times of India|

#nasa #rings #robotics

sports2 months ago•1 min saved

Trump to Present World Cup Rings at Argentina–Spain Final

FIFA will present World Cup winner rings modeled after American sports, with 30 rings for the champions and 1,996 rings for fans; the final between Argentina and Spain will be attended by Donald Trump, who is set to present the trophy. The event coincides with a New York weather air-quality warning, and the buildup has been shadowed by controversy over Balogun’s red card and suspension decisions in earlier matches.

via BBC|

#art #final #football

entertainment3 months ago•8 min saved

Swift and Kelce Flaunt Their Sparkling Wedding Bands

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce publicly revealed their wedding rings after their July 3 Madison Square Garden ceremony, with Swift wearing a custom Dior gown and Cartier jewelry and Kelce in Dior; Swift’s ring coordinates with the engagement ring Kelce proposed with in 2025—an old mine brilliant-cut diamond on a yellow-gold band with side stones designed by Kindred Lubreck. The ceremony was officiated by Adam Sandler and drew about 1,000 guests.

via E! News|

#celebrities #entertainment #rings

science3 months ago•11 min saved

Cassini hints Saturn’s rings are a recent, fading feature

Cassini measurements imply Saturn’s rings are relatively young (roughly 10–400 million years old) and are currently draining into the planet, with ring rain alone potentially clearing them in about 100 million years; the exact age and loss rate are still debated, but the data tilt toward a transient, recently formed ring system that may soon disappear, with future JWST and ground observations expected to refine the timeline.

via Space Daily|

#astronomy #cassini #ring-rain

business3 months ago•4 min saved

Divorce Rings: Turning Breakups into Bold, Personal Keepsakes

A rising trend sees divorcing women reworking or buying new rings as bold statements of independence, with “divorce rings” promoted by jewelers. Examples include Deb Marino’s £2,000 middle-finger redesign featuring a sapphire for her daughter, Ceri Evans’s £3,000 art-deco style ring, and Alex Proie’s seven-diamond wave ring. The trend blends personal storytelling with financial pragmatism, marking new chapters while navigating divorce costs.

via BBC|

#business #divorce #empowerment

sciencespace3 months ago•14 min saved

Saturn's rings could be a recent addition to the planet

Cassini-era analyses suggest Saturn’s bright main rings may be tens to hundreds of millions of years old rather than billions, implying a relatively recent origin after much of the dinosaur era. While ring purity and mass measurements support a younger exposure age, newer studies caution that dust deposition, space weathering, and model assumptions keep the true age unsettled. Some scenarios even propose a collision or disruption of icy moons as the ring source. The rings are also losing material and evolving, so their future may include slow disappearance into Saturn, reinforcing that the exact formation time remains debated.

via Space Daily|

#cassini #dinosaur-era #exposure-age

space3 months ago•15 min saved

Ice Giants Remain Unsolved: Why Uranus and Neptune Need a Return Mission

Voyager 2’s 1986 and 1989 flybys gave the first close look at Uranus and Neptune, but no orbiter has followed to study them over time. Key questions about their interiors, the peculiar tilted and offset magnetic fields, and the small, elusive rings and moons remain, in part because a flyby captures only a moment. A future Uranus Orbiter and Probe could map gravity and magnetism, monitor atmospheres, and test for subsurface oceans, advancing our understanding of ice giants and informing exoplanet science.

via Space Daily|

#magnetic-fields #neptune #rings