News Astronomy

Why it’s good news that Pluto doesn’t have rings

New Horizons’ next destination might be ring-free, too, promising a safe passage for the spacecraft

hazy Pluto

LOOKING BACK  New Horizons took this rearview image of Pluto’s hazy atmosphere after flying past the dwarf planet in July 2015. The spacecraft’s team was also looking for rings, but didn’t find any.

Southwest Research Institute/JHUAPL/NASA

By Lisa Grossman

- More than 2 years ago

Pluto has no rings — New Horizons triple-checked.