Quaoar's Atmosphere Doesn't Exist And Its Rings Shouldn't

Quaoar's Atmosphere Doesn't Exist And Its Rings Shouldn't
By Andy Tomaswick (https://ift.tt/GgN87Yt)

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) can tell us a lot about the subjects of its observations if it spends enough time with them. That includes lonely rocks on the edges of our solar system, such as the Trans-Neptunian Object (TNO) Quaoar. Recent observations using the NIRCam on JWST and pre-published on arXiv by researchers at the University of Central Florida, the Space Telescope Science Institute, and Kyoto University add a plethora of new data to our understanding of this enigmatic object, including insights into what might be causing its ring system and its hydrocarbon atmosphere.

July 8, 2025 at 05:41PM
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