Journey to Eta Carinae Part 1: The Eye of Ice
30 Apr 2022Ronin-667
With a bit of delay, the three of us (CMDR Ronozill, CMDR ZeframC and me - the other ones sadly weren't able to join) set off from GD 140 A 2 A to head into the wild black yonder.After a few short stops for exploration, we concluded our first stage at Synuefe TO-O b52-3, called the "Eye of Ice" by some commanders.
The name stems from the fact that one of the system's class I gas giants has two sets of rings, and 3 of its 4 moons have their orbits between the inner and the outer ring systems. Such moons are called "shepherd moons". Additionally, the about equally sized moons A and B don't directly orbit the planet but a common barycenter, and that in a very short distance.
The 4th moon, which we will visit as soon as we continue our journey, orbits the planet in a 90° tilted orbit, so there should be a great view from it onto the planet, the rings and the shepherd moons.
Who knows how this system might have come to pass? Maybe the moons formed through accretion of a third ring system that once existed between the other two. Another explanation would be that the outer ring consists of debris left over when a 5th moon was destroyed in some cosmic catastrophe long ago.