Kuiper belt

Definition

The Kuiper Belt is a region of the solar system beyond Neptune, populated with icy bodies and dwarf planets. It is the source of many short-period comets that orbit the Sun in less than 200 years.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Kuiper Belt extends from about 30 to 55 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun.
2. It contains thousands of small icy bodies known as Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs), including Pluto and Eris.
3. The discovery of KBOs supported the theory that there are other objects similar to Pluto in this region.
4. Short-period comets, which have orbits less than 200 years, often originate from the Kuiper Belt.
5. Gerard Kuiper theorized the existence of this belt in the mid-20th century, although he did not predict its exact properties.

Review Questions

• What is the approximate range of distances from the Sun where the Kuiper Belt is located?
• Name two notable objects found within the Kuiper Belt.
• What type of comets are commonly believed to originate from the Kuiper Belt?

Related terms

Oort Cloud: A distant spherical shell surrounding our solar system, believed to be a reservoir for long-period comets.

Dwarf Planet: A celestial body that orbits the Sun and has sufficient mass for its self-gravity but has not cleared its neighboring region of other objects.

Astronomical Unit (AU): A unit of distance equal to approximately 93 million miles or roughly the distance between Earth and the Sun.