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Centaur 10199 Chariklo (NIRCam Occultation Light Curve)

Graphic titled “Centaur 10199 Chariklo Occultation Light Curve: NIRCam Filter F150W” showing the change in relative brightness of a background star over time as it is occulted (blocked) by Chariklo's rings.

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. 

Read the story. 

About the Object

  • Distance
    DistanceThe 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.
    orbits the Sun between the orbits of Saturn and Uranus

About the Data

  • Data Description
    Data DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
    Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.

    light curve

  • Instrument
    InstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.
    NIRCam
  • Exposure Dates
    Exposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.
    October 18, 2022
  • Filters
    FiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.
    F150W
  • Object Name
    Object NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
    10199 Chariklo
  • Object Description
    Object DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.
    Centaur
  • Release Date
    January 25, 2023
  • Credit
    Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, Leah Hustak (STScI); Science: Pablo Santos-Sanz (IAA-CSIC), Nicolás Morales (IAA-CSIC), Bruno Morgado (UFRJ, ON/MCTI, LIneA)

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Details

Last Updated
Aug 28, 2025
Contact
Media

Laura Betz
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
laura.e.betz@nasa.gov

Image Credit

NASA, ESA, CSA, Leah Hustak (STScI)

Science Credit

Pablo Santos-Sanz (IAA-CSIC), Nicolás Morales (IAA-CSIC), Bruno Morgado (UFRJ, ON/MCTI, LIneA)

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