First ring system around asteroid: Chariklo found to have two rings

The centaur asteroid (i.e. a class of asteroid with characteristics similar to comets) Chariklo orbits between Saturn and Uranus.  It has a diameter of around 255 kilometers… and two rings, discovered recently as they occulted a distant star. The inner ring is seven kilometers wide, and 391 kilometers from the center of Charilko; the second ring is three kilometers wide and 405 kilometers from the center. The rings appear to be made of water ice.

[youtube nfh_jVEzveE]

With planets like Saturn, rings are most likely formed when a moon drifts too close. Passing within the Roche limit, tides simply pull the moon apart. But the gravitational tides form Charilko are almost certainly far too meager; these rings were probably formed from impact debris, either something hitting the asteroid and throwing up a spray, or smashing into  small moons orbiting the asteroid. The rings are sharp-edged, which suggests shepherd satellites.

[youtube oAmWaL5Dsxg]