James Webb Reveals Chariklo’s Tiny Rings Are Changing in Opposite Directions Over Just a Few Years
Chariklo is a small icy body about 250 km wide orbiting between Saturn and Uranus. Its two narrow rings were discovered in 2013, but they are far too thin and distant to photograph directly—even with JWST. Instead, astronomers study them when the rings pass in front of a distant star and briefly block its light.
Now, JWST observations from October 18, 2022, compared with a decade of earlier stellar-occultation data, reveal something surprising: the inner ring has become significantly more opaque, while the outer ring has become less opaque. The opposing changes suggest that Chariklo’s ring system is more dynamic and complex than previously thought.
Scientists don't yet know whether the changes come from material being added or lost, changes in particle properties, or differences caused by observing the rings at different wavelengths and locations. Either way, this tiny world is giving astronomers a rare look at how ring systems can evolve on surprisingly short timescales.
Source: Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA-CSIC), Science Advances, September 2026.
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