Mars has no rings. Using comparative analysis, it should not have one since it has a solid structure just like the Earth. The only planets in the solar system known to possess rings are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. All are considered the outer and giant planets. Unlike Mars, their main compositions include ice and gas.

That reasoning may be correct – but just for now. Mars may possibly become one of the ringed planets after several million years. The length of time is not exact but it is a prediction based from scientific observations that may come true. The reason behind this lies in the principle of how planets acquire rings of cosmic dust. One proposed way that a ring around a planet can be formed is when a smaller body such as an asteroid collides with a satellite of the planet. This will cause disrupted fragments from the collision to fling out into space. As the planets’ strong gravitational force draws the particles, it will eventually reach the Roche limit. The Roche limit, which calculations were first defined by French astronomer Edouard Roche, is the distance or boundary within which a celestial body will disintegrate when another body, which has a stronger gravity, exceeds its own. Plainly speaking, if a meteor reaches the roche limit of a planet, it will disintegrate and disperse around an imaginary arc or circle. This imaginary circle is where the ring forms. Collisions, which happen near the planet or caused by its satellites will cause rubbles of dust to diffuse around and in a distance from the planet. The roche limit breaks down the debris into finer particles, and then forms a ring.

Even with this in mind, it may still be a question how Mars’s moon may cause collisions that are big enough to form rings. Phobos and Deimos, which are Mars’ only satellites are irregularly-shaped, small in size compared to other moons, and can be compared to asteroids. They may crash into other smaller bodies but the debris from the collision may still not be enough to form a ring.

However, Phobos, which name is the Greek word for Fear, is believed to be set for doom. It is described to be orbiting in a death spiral around Mars. Instead of orbiting in a fixed path, it is observed to be drawing closer to Mars by 1.8 cm every year. Phobos, which is thought to be an asteroid that possibly came from the asteroid belt that surrounds Mars orbit, may eventually crash into Mars after several million years. Another possibility is that it not may not really touch Mars surface. Instead, it may reach the Roche limit and fall to microscopic dust particles that will orbit Mars and form a ring.

A ring around the red planet sounds interesting and more theories about the composition of the ring may be further developed. It is intriguing to think of how it will look like, what color it will be, or if it will be as spectacular as the rings of Saturn. The answers can only be known if the Mars ring theory will come true – and if Earth and its inhabitants will continue to exist until that time.

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