The discovery of a Saturn-like ring of dust and debris surrounding a minor planet Quaoar astounded astronomers. The dwarf planet Quaoar was named after a god of creation in Native American mythology. Quaoar is one of the trans-Neptunian objects and it was discovered in 2002.
Quaoar, a mini-planet circling in the farthest regions of the solar system, has a ring that violates the laws of physics, according to a new study released on Wednesday.
A thick ring of the trans-Neptunian object Quaoar outside its Roche limit is the study’s official title, and it was published in the journal Nature.
According to the study, all known thick rings have so far been found inside the Roche limit, sufficiently close to their parent bodies. It is a place where tidal forces prevent material with reasonable densities from aggregating into a satellite.
But the ring around the trans-Neptunian body (50000) Quaoar is different as it is outside its classical Roche limit.
Quaoar has an estimated radius of 555?km and also possesses a roughly 80-km satellite.
Post Your Comments