The Rings of (2060) Chiron: Evidence of an Evolving System
Abstract The centaur (2060) Chiron has long been a candidate for hosting material in orbit, based on occultation and photometric and spectroscopic data. Here, we present a multichord stellar occultation observed on 2023 September 10 UT that reveals new and complex structures surrounding Chiron. High-cadence light curves show multiple secondary events that are best explained (when compared with a multishell interpretation) with a system of three confined rings located at average radii of 273, 325, and 438 km, the outermost of which lies beyond Chiron’s Roche limit. The rings appear coplanar, with a mean pole orientation of λ = 151 ∘ ± 4 ∘ and β = 20 ∘ ± 6 ∘ . A broader, disklike structure extends from about 200 to 800 km, and a newly detected faint feature is observed at ∼1380 km. Chiron thus appears as the fourth small solar system body known for hosting a ring system. Comparisons with previous occultation events that have occurred since 1994 show that these features are not permanent. With these observations, we may witness for the first time the ongoing formation and evolution of a ring system.
Authors
- E. García-Migani
- N. Morales (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0419-1599)
- J. Spagnotto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5363-6298)
- J.E.D.S. Cavalcante
- B. E. Morgado (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0088-1808)
- M. Gillon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1462-7739)
- B. Sicardy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1995-0842)
- L. S. Brito (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7446-5212)
- Emmanuël Jehin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8923-488X)
- A. J. Wilberger (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6346-2902)
- Rafael Sfair (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4939-013X)
- R. Vieira-Martins (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1690-5704)
- Wolfgang de Melo
- Y. Kılıç (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8641-0796)
- P. Santos-Sanz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1123-983X)
- M. D. Melita (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8128-0312)
- M. Emílio (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5589-9015)
- J. Desmars (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2193-8204)
- F. Jablonski (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0386-2306)
- C. L. Pereira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1000-8113)
- Artem Burdanov (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9892-2406)
- R. Duffárd (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5963-5850)
- G. Margoti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2103-4408)
- Khalid Barkaoui (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1464-9276)
- Rodrigo Leiva (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6477-1360)
- Tiago F. L. L. Pinheiro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7126-4562)
- D. Souami (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4058-0815)
- L. Liberato (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3433-6269)
- Adriano José Ortiz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2222-2603)
- V. Lattari (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9609-1362)
- M. Malacarne (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0866-1802)
- J. I. B. Camargo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1642-4065)
- F. Braga-Ribas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2311-2438)
- J. C. Oliveira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1602-6198)
- R. C. Boufleur
- Cecile Domingues
- Manuel Domínguez Sardiña
- L. A. Mammana
- R. Melia
- F. L. Rommel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6085-3182)
- M. Assafin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8211-0777)
- Tony Costa
- C. Jacques (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3100-4632)
- G. Benedetti-Rossi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4106-476X)
- A. R. Gomes-Júnior (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3362-2127)
- J. L. Ortiz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8690-2413)
- Carlos Colazo
- L. Vanzi
- I. Rodrigues
- G Ramon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2716-2794)
- H. Dutra (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2174-5041)
- E. Gradovski
- F. Arrese
- R. C. Gargalhone
- T. Speranza
- M. A. Zorzan
- P. Quitral-Manosalva
Publication Details
- Journal
- The Astrophysical Journal Letters
- Published
- 2025-10-14
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ae0b6d
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.62
Funders
- European Commission
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
- Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
- Université de Liège
- Horizon 2020 Framework Programme