4. The Rings of Haumea
Found Year: 2017.
It was found by José Ortiz.
Where: The Kuiper Belt
The circumstellar disc that lies outside of our solar system, past Neptune, is called the Kuiper Belt. Comets, dwarf planets, and other enigmatic celestial objects abound in the Belt. The mysteries and hidden treasures of the Kuiper Belt are becoming more and more apparent as time and surveying technology advance.
The Rings of Haumea ©Diego Barucco at Shutterstock
In 2017, one such enigma was solved, although it took twelve telescopes from ten facilities and a whole team of researchers and astronomers. It was revealed that Haumea, a dwarf planet that is the “fastest rotating body known in the solar system,” has a ring resembling Saturn’s, making it the first object beyond Neptune to have such a feature.
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