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Stellar Occultation

All articles tagged with #stellar occultation

Small Kuiper Belt Object Carries Its Own Atmosphere, Astronomers Say
science17 days ago

Small Kuiper Belt Object Carries Its Own Atmosphere, Astronomers Say

Astronomers using stellar occultation detected a thin atmosphere around the 500 km-wide Kuiper Belt object 2002 XV93, a surprising find for such a small body that normally cannot retain gases. The atmosphere’s origin is uncertain—possible ice‑volcano outgassing or a recent impact—and could dissipate within about a thousand years. The study, published in Nature Astronomy on May 6, 2026, broadens ideas about where atmospheres can exist in the outer solar system.

via DOGO News|
#2002-xv93#astronomy#atmosphere
Atmosphere detected on a distant Kuiper belt object during stellar occultation
space25 days ago

Atmosphere detected on a distant Kuiper belt object during stellar occultation

A three-site stellar occultation of the ~250-km-radius trans-Neptunian object 2002 XV93 on 2024-01-10 revealed a refractive signature indicating a thin atmosphere with surface pressure around 100–200 nanobars, marking the first atmospheric detection beyond Pluto for a body of this size. This shows that even relatively small, distant icy worlds can host transient atmospheres, potentially sustained by cryovolcanic activity or a recent impact, and challenges standard ideas about volatile retention in the outer Solar System.

via Nature|
#2002-xv93#atmosphere#cryovolcanism
Transformation of Mysterious Object Trapped Between Saturn and Uranus
astronomy2 years ago

Transformation of Mysterious Object Trapped Between Saturn and Uranus

The Centaur object 2060 Chiron, located between Saturn and Uranus, has been found to have a transforming disk of dust around it that changes shape and can mimic rings. Observations during stellar occultations in 2011 and 2018 revealed the presence of dusty material at different distances from Chiron's center, suggesting an evolving system rather than stable rings. Another occultation in 2022 detected three symmetrical structures forming a wide disk around Chiron. The origin and composition of this material remain unknown, but it is likely to come from Chiron itself. These findings also raise questions about the nature of the structures around another Centaur, Chariklo.

via Livescience.com|
#astronomy#centaur#chiron
"Shape-shifting Centaur: Icy Object's Rings Undergo Astonishing Transformation"
science-and-astronomy2 years ago

"Shape-shifting Centaur: Icy Object's Rings Undergo Astonishing Transformation"

The Centaur object 2060 Chiron, a captured cometary object that orbits between Jupiter and Neptune, has been found to have a transforming disk of dust around it that changes shape and can mimic rings. Observations during stellar occultations in 2011 and 2018 revealed the presence of dusty material at different distances from Chiron's center, suggesting an evolving system rather than stable rings. Another Centaur, 10199 Chariklo, was previously shown to have rings, but the findings at Chiron raise questions about the nature of the structures around Chariklo as well. The origin and composition of the material around Chiron remain unknown.

via Space.com|
#centaur#chiron#dust
Evolving Material Discovered Around Centaur Chiron, Not Rings
astronomy2 years ago

Evolving Material Discovered Around Centaur Chiron, Not Rings

Observations during a stellar occultation of Centaur Chiron have revealed the presence of evolving material orbiting the object, rather than a stable ring system. The data collected suggests that the material surrounding Chiron is currently changing and evolving, ruling out the possibility of a two-ring system. This finding provides valuable insights into the formation and dynamics of rings around small celestial bodies.

via Phys.org|
#astronomy#centaur-chiron#evolving-material