This Misfit Planet Is Making Its Own Rules

Rings aren't just for the big guys. Haumea is a tiny planet making an epic statement.

We all learned in school the clever mnemonic device "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pies" or something similar. In my googling I've found most people use Pizzas but I always learned it as Pies, so I'm going with it. Not that it matters anymore now that Pluto's been ostracized due to it's dwarf status.

Via davidreneke.com

We also learned that four planets in our solar system have rings: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. AKA the Giant Planets.

Via physast.uga.edu

Until fairly recently it was thought that these were the only planets in our solar system that could support rings because of their massive size.

That is until 10199 Chariklo and 2060 Chiron were discovered within the past few years. So small that they are classified as "planetoids", or their more common term "dwarf planet", these two were found to have rings most likely made up of ice and they proved that even the tiniest of planets can flaunt some bling.

Now Haumea is further challenging what a planet must be to have their own ring structure.

Via sciencenews.org

This asymmetrical dwarf planet is the first planet beyond Neptune with a ring. Most likely made of rock and ice, this ring proves that small planets can support similar structures further into the solar system then once thought.

Of the SETI Institute, Matthew Tiscareno says "This discovery does disrupt that tidy narrative...reality is more complicated — that is, interesting."

Because of Haumea, we are learning now that small planets, and planets residing near the edge of our solar system may have the capabilities of supporting a ring.

Sure, Haumea may not look like your typical planets, but it never cared about your superficially high standards anyway.

Small but mighty, it will still keep on being a planetary marvel that continues to teach us new things about our universe.