Did Mars once have rings? Scientists say it’s possible

[Mike Wehner]

• Mars may have once had rings, and researchers say the evidence may still be orbiting the planet today.
• Phobos, the tiny Martian moon, may have once been much larger, slowly getting closer to Mars until it was torn to shreds and formed a ring of dust and debris.
• That ring may have then coalesced into a moon once again, and this pattern could have repeated several times in the history of our solar system.

We think of Mars today as a big, mostly barren orange rock. It's like Earth if Earth had its atmosphere stripped away and had to endure billions of years of erosion as it lost its water to space. Long ago, Mars looked a lot different. It was wet, and perhaps even supported life in some form. According to new research presented at a recent meeting of the American Astronomical Society, it might have also sported rings.

But how could we possibly know whether or not Mars had rings billions of years ago? Surely the evidence of the rings is long gone, right? Maybe not. The researchers behind the study suggest that the strange Martian moons Deimos and Phobos may explain a cycle of ring creation and destruction around Mars.

Continue reading...

Today's Top Deals

1. Today’s top deals: KN95 face masks, Fire TV Stick surprise sale, $250 iPad, $18 Wi-Fi extender, Sony headphones, more
2. 5 things to stock up on so you’re ready for a coronavirus second wave
3. Prime members only: Get the robot vacuum people go nuts over for $125

Trending Right Now:

1. Fauci just confirmed the bad coronavirus vaccine news we’ve been dreading
2. There are so many great deals today at Best Buy – here’s our top 10
3. Watch SpaceX launch 60 Starlink satellites into orbit live right here

Did Mars once have rings? Scientists say it’s possible originally appeared on BGR.com on Wed, 3 Jun 2020 at 19:04:55 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Via BRG - Boy Genius Report