Graphic showing the dimming effects of Chariklo’s rings on a background star.
Top: A diagram showing the change in position of a background star (Gaia DR3 6873519665992128512) relative to the double-ringed centaur Chariklo, during an occultation. An occultation occurs when a background object is temporarily blocked from view by a foreground object. During this occultation event, the star passed behind Chariklo’s rings, but not behind its main body.
Bottom: A graph showing the change in apparent brightness of the star during the occultation event. This type of graph is known as a light curve. The graph shows the sharp dips in apparent brightness of the star over time as the rings of Chariklo (the largest-known Centaur) passed in front of it on October 18, 2022. Each dip on the graph corresponds to the shadows of two rings around Chariklo, which are ~4 miles (6-7 kilometers) and ~2 miles (2-4 kilometers) wide, and separated by a gap of 5.5 miles (9 kilometers). The two individual rings are not fully resolved in each dip of this light curve.
The data show 1.5-micron light captured by Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) using its F150W filter.
Credits
Image
NASA, ESA, CSA, Leah Hustak (STScI)
Science
Pablo Santos-Sanz (IAA-CSIC), Nicolás Morales (IAA-CSIC), Bruno Morgado (UFRJ, ON/MCTI, LIneA)
| About The Object | |
|---|---|
| Object Name | 10199 Chariklo |
| Object Description | Centaur |
| Distance | orbits the Sun between the orbits of Saturn and Uranus |
| About The Data | |
| Data Description | light curve |
| Instrument | NIRCam |
| Exposure Dates | October 18, 2022 |
| Filters | F150W |
| About The Object | |
|---|---|
| Object Name | A name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object. |
| Object Description | The type of astronomical object. |
| R.A. Position | Right ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position. |
| Dec. Position | Declination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position. |
| Constellation | One of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears. |
| Distance | The physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs. |
| Dimensions | The physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky. |
| About The Data | |
| Data Description |
|
| Instrument | The science instrument used to produce the data. |
| Exposure Dates | The date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time. |
| Filters | The camera filters that were used in the science observations. |
| About The Image | |
| Image Credit | The primary individuals and institutions responsible for the content. |
| Publication Date | The date and time the release content became public. |
| Color Info | A brief description of the methods used to convert telescope data into the color image being presented. |
| Orientation | The rotation of the image on the sky with respect to the north pole of the celestial sphere. |
