Astronomers have spotted a ring around a Pluto-sized dwarf planet called Quaoar in the outer reaches of the solar system.
The observations, by a powerful telescope on La Palma, reveal the ring to be much further away from the planet than is typical, calling into question how such systems form.
Prof Vik Dhillon, of the University of Sheffield’s department of physics and astronomy, and his co-authors, said: “The ring came as a real surprise and doubly surprising was where it was, well outside the theoretical maximum for where a ring can survive according to classical theory. These are the most unusual rings we’ve seen.”
https://www.theguardian.com/science/202 ... s-theories