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Chariklo

Chariklo is a centaur, a small body in the outer Solar System that orbits the Sun between the giant planets. It is the largest confirmed centaur and, notably, the only known centaur with a ring system. Chariklo was discovered in 1997 by the Spacewatch survey at Kitt Peak National Observatory and was later named after Chariclo, a figure in Greek mythology who was the wife of the centaur Chiron.

Physically, Chariklo is estimated to be about 250 kilometers in diameter, making it the largest member of

Orbitally, Chariklo resides at roughly 16 astronomical units from the Sun, with an orbital period of about

In 2013, stellar occultations revealed two narrow rings around Chariklo, designated C1R and C2R. The rings lie

The name Chariklo derives from Chariclo, a mythological figure associated with Chiron.

its
dynamical
class.
Observations
suggest
a
moderately
elongated
shape
and
a
surface
that
contains
water
ice
and
complex
organic
materials,
giving
it
a
reddish
color
typical
of
many
outer
Solar
System
bodies.
Its
rotation
period
is
inferred
from
light-curve
data
to
lie
in
the
range
of
a
few
hours.
63
years.
Its
path
is
moderately
eccentric
and
inclined,
placing
it
in
a
dynamically
unstable
region
where
interactions
with
the
giant
planets
can
alter
its
trajectory
over
time.
at
distances
of
about
390
to
405
kilometers
from
Chariklo’s
center
and
are
only
a
few
kilometers
wide.
The
ring
system
is
composed
of
icy
particles
and
remains
a
subject
of
study
regarding
its
origin
and
stability.
The
discovery
marked
the
first
confirmed
ring
system
around
a
small
Solar
System
body.