Did Mars have Rings?
Mars may have had a series of rings form and disappear over billions of years, a new study reveals.
Mars is normally known as the Red Planet while Saturn is famous for its glamorous system of rings. Now, a new study from the SETI Institute and Purdue University suggests that Mars may have also once had its own planetary rings.
The two small moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos, resemble asteroids more than they do larger moons such as our own natural satellite. Astronomers generally believe that this pair of irregularly-shaped bodies are asteroids that were captured by the gravitational pull of the Red Planet.
On June 16, Astronomy News with the Cosmic Companion will interview Dr. Matija Ćuk, lead researcher on this study.
This new study suggests the orbits traced out by the Martian moons can best be explained if a ring of rocks and ice once surrounded the Red Planet. The orbit of Deimos is tilted about two degrees relative to the equator of Mars. This detail — often overlooked — is likely the result of an ancient belt surrounding the planet billions of years in the past, researchers speculate.
