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| Kuiper Belt | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Diameter |
100 AU (possibly) |
|
Known planets |
0 (None) |
|
Known dwarf planets |
5(1) (recognized by the IAU) (Pluto, Haumea, Quaoar, Makemake, Eris) (potentially Gonggong) 13 (With Unregognized Ones) (Pluto, Haumea, Quaoar, Makemake, Eris, Varuna, Orcus, Ixion, Chaos, Varda, 2002 MS4, Gonggong, Salacia, |
|
Known natural satellites |
10(1) (currently known moons of dwarf planets recognized by the IAU) (Charon, Nix, Hydra, Kerberos, Styx, Namaka, Hi'iaka, Weywot, MK2, Dysnomia) (potentially Xiangliu) |
The Kuiper Belt is a disc and region in the outer solar system, ranging from the orbit of Neptune (30 AU) to roughly 100 AU. The belt contains many large objects over 100 km in diameter, in addition to many periodic comets and scattered objects.
The belt originates as a remanent of the birth of the solar system, on par with the asteroid or main belt. The main difference between the Kuiper Belt and the asteroid belt is their density and their composition. The Kuiper Belt is much more dense and contains many more volatile substances.
The Kuiper Belt, like the asteroid belt, is has most of its original material present there. What remains has been contained by the gravity of Neptune. Other processes such as long-term perturbations in the belt itself have cleared material from dynamically specific locations.[1]
Discovery and Exploration[]
The existence of the Kuiper Belt was first hypothesized in 1951 by Dutch-American astronomer Gerard Kuiper, although earlier predictions of a trans-Neptunian region date back to the early 20th century. The first confirmed Kuiper Belt Object (KBO), (15760) 1992 QB1, was discovered in 1992 by astronomers David Jewitt and Jane Luu. Since then, thousands of KBOs have been identified, including dwarf planets such as Pluto, Haumea, and Makemake.
NASA's New Horizons mission, launched in 2006, provided a detailed view of the region. After its historic flyby of Pluto in 2015, New Horizons continued to explore the Kuiper Belt, including a close encounter with Arrokoth (formerly known as Ultima Thule) in 2019.
Composition and Structure[]
Formation and Evolution[]
The Kuiper Belt is believed to be a remnant of the protoplanetary disc that formed the Solar System approximately 4.6 billion years ago. Its objects are thought to have formed closer to the Sun before being scattered outward by the gravitational influence of the gas giants, particularly Neptune.
Interactions between KBOs and Neptune continue to shape the belt, with some objects being ejected into the inner Solar System as comets or out of the Solar System entirely.
Relationship to the Solar System[]
The Kuiper Belt marks the edge of the classical Solar System, beyond which lies the scattered disc and the hypothesized Oort Cloud. Together, these regions are part of the trans-Neptunian region.
The Kuiper Belt is of significant interest to astronomers due to its role in understanding the early Solar System. Its objects are some of the most primitive and least altered bodies in the Solar System, providing insights into its initial composition and evolution.
Notable Objects[]
- Pluto: Once classified as the ninth planet, Pluto was redefined as a dwarf planet in 2006. It is one of the largest and best-studied KBOs.
- Haumea: Known for its elongated shape and rapid rotation, Haumea is also classified as a dwarf planet.
- Makemake: Another dwarf planet, Makemake, is notable for its bright surface and lack of a significant atmosphere.
- Arrokoth: The most distant object visited by a spacecraft, Arrokoth provided clues about the formation of small Kuiper Belt objects.
Future Exploration[]
The Kuiper Belt remains a frontier for exploration. Proposed future missions aim to explore more KBOs and study their composition, structure, and interactions. Observatories such as the James Webb Space Telescope are also contributing to Kuiper Belt research by analyzing KBOs' thermal emissions and spectra.
See Also[]
References[]
| Small Solar System Bodies including comets | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cis-Neptunian | NEO | ꞌAylóꞌchaxnim • Atrias • Apollos • Arjunas • Amors • Venus Trojan • Earth Trojans • Mars Trojans • Quasi-Satellites |
| Main Belt/Jupiter Trojans | Asteroids • Various Collisional Families • Ceres/Vesta Trojans • Hilda • Jupiter Trojans • Quasi-Satellites | |
| Distant/Centaur | Centaur • Damocloid • Saturn Trojan • Uranus Trojans • Neptune Trojans | |
| TNO | Kuiper Belt/KBO | Classical (Cold • Hot) • Resonant (Plutino • Twotino) |
| Scattered disc/SDO | Resonant | |
| ETNO | ESDO | |
| EDDO | Sednoid → Oort Cloud Objects | |
| Comets | NEC • Sungrazing/Kreutz Sungrazing • Remnant • Extinct • Lost • Jupiter • Quasi-Hilda • Halley-type | |