Earth's moon could've had Saturn-like rings, new study hints

A new study suggests that moons in our solar system might have once possessed rings similar to planets, raising questions about why no ringed moons exist today.

Stable Rings Around Moons

While currently no moons in our solar system have rings, the study reveals that such rings could have remained stable for a million years despite gravitational interactions with other celestial bodies. This adds to the mystery of the absence of ringed moons today.

Ringed Planets

Saturn, along with the other outer planets in our solar system, has visible rings consisting of ice and rocks. These rings are maintained by gravitational forces exerted by shepherd moons, manipulating the particles within the rings.

Recent Discoveries

Recent studies have identified rings around certain centaurs and minor planets, suggesting that even Earth and Mars could have had rings in the past. Despite these findings, no definitive evidence of rings around any of the solar system's moons has been confirmed.

Challenges in Ring Formation

The process of ring formation can occur on both planets and moons. Debris orbiting an object can eventually flatten into rings due to gravitational forces. Despite potential impacts or cryovolcanic activity on moons, the reasons for the absence of rings around them remain unknown.

The Hunt for Missing Moon Rings

To investigate the stability of moon rings, astrophysicist Mario Sucerquia and his team studied the gravitational effects on rings around isolated moons. Their simulations considered interactions with other moons and planets to determine the rings' stability over time.

The Moon Will Soon Have RINGS!

Interstellar News