Why in news
New research suggests that Earth may have had a ring 466 million years ago, possibly explaining certain geological mysteries.
A study found a cluster of impact craters near the equator, suggesting a connection to a broken-up asteroid.
The presence of a ring might explain a significant cooling period that occurred around the same time.
How Rings Form
When a small body, like an asteroid, approaches a larger body (like a planet), gravity stretches it.
If the small body gets too close (within the Roche limit), it breaks apart into fragments.
These fragments can form a ring around the planet, orbiting along the equator.
Over time, the material in the ring may fall back to the planet's surface, forming impact craters.
What is Roche Limit
The Roche limit is the minimum distance from a planet at which a celestial body (like a moon or asteroid) can remain intact due to the planet's gravitational forces.
If a small body crosses this limit, the tidal forces from the planet can cause it to disintegrate into smaller pieces.
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