Asteroids & CometsPEER REVIEWED

A Small Icy Object Is Changing Its Mysterious Rings

By Space.Fan Editorial DeskSeptember 27, 2026 at 5:12 AM UTC

The largest Centaur, Chariklo, appears to be gaining and losing material in its rings in ways scientists have never seen before.

Image · Universe Today

The Drop

Deep in the outer solar system, there is a giant icy rock called Chariklo. It is a type of object known as a Centaur, which travels in a path that crosses the orbits of the outer s. Back in 2013, astronomers were shocked to find that this small object, which is only about 125 kilometers wide, has two distinct rings circling it. It is the only known Centaur with such a feature. Now, a large team of researchers has looked closer at these rings to see how they change over time. By comparing new data from the James Webb Space Telescope with older ground-based observations from 2017, they found the rings are acting in a very dynamic way. The team used a method called stellar occultation. This is when the object passes in front of a distant , like a tiny shadow crossing a flashlight. By measuring how the 's light dims during this pass, scientists can learn about the size and density of the rings. The recent observations showed that the inner ring became much thicker and more opaque, while the outer ring became thinner and more transparent compared to seven years ago. This suggests that the rings are actively gaining and losing material in a way that had been hidden until now.

Why It Matters

This discovery matters because it shows that rings around small bodies are not static, unchanging structures. Instead, they can be active and evolving environments. Understanding these changes helps scientists learn more about how matter moves and collects around small objects in the cold, distant parts of our solar system. It proves that there are complex physical processes happening in the outer reaches that we are only just beginning to see clearly with powerful tools like the James Webb Space Telescope.

The Catch

While these changes are clear, scientists are not yet sure what is causing them. It remains a mystery whether the rings are physically losing and gaining material, or if the way the rings block light is simply changing due to the angle of observation or the composition of the ring particles. More study is required to build a complete picture of why these rings are acting so differently today than they did in the past.

Put That in Perspective

Before this, our understanding of ring systems was mostly limited to the giant planets like Saturn. Chariklo provides a unique chance to study how ring systems work around much smaller bodies. Researchers will continue to watch this object to see if these shifts in density continue, stop, or reverse over the coming years.

Source September 27, 2026

Lucie Maquet

Observatoire de Paris - PSL·Science Advances

Keep Exploring Space

$Large fractured asteroid engulfed in flames and glowing debris as it travels through space.$

Asteroids & Comets

Search for Hidden Moons Around Asteroid Didymos Comes Up Empty

Scientists used NASA and Italian space cameras to hunt for tiny space rocks near the asteroid Dimorphos, finding nothing hiding in the shadows.

PEER REVIEWED16 HR AGO

Dark comet nucleus releasing bright jets of gas and dust into surrounding space.

Asteroids & Comets

A Visitor From Far Away Holds Secrets to Its Birth

Scientists used the James Webb Space Telescope to find that a mysterious object from outside our solar system formed in a very special place.

MODEL6 DAYS AGO

Radio telescope images showing four pairs of bright spots symmetrically arranged around a central galaxy.

Universe

Black Hole Fires Four Separate Rounds of Cosmic Energy

Astronomers have discovered a rare galaxy that shot out powerful jets of gas on four different occasions.

EARLY RESEARCH4 HR AGO

Earth surrounded by glowing magnetic field lines as solar particles strike the magnetosphere.

Universe

A New Look at Giant, Metal-Poor Stars

Astronomers used the Hubble Space Telescope to create a library of hot, massive stars in galaxies that lack heavy elements.

PEER REVIEWED1 HR AGO