The existence of the Kuiper Belt was hypothesized by Gerard Kuiper in 1951. Kuiper described an expanse of icy space material beyond Neptune as the only explanation for short-lived comets. However, that anomaly was not the sole phenomenon the Kuiper Belt and its contents helped explain. The Kuiper Belt’s primordial origins have established it as one of the most helpful tools to aid in learning more about the solar system’s beginning. Its existence debunks the original theory of the belt’s formation, consequently given way to the conjecture predicting a shuffling of the planets resulting in their current placement. Gravitational fields of Kuiper Belt Objects, or KBOs, have given evidence as to the existence of another undiscovered planet- dubbed
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Many theories were proposed, notably that of Jan Oort. Oort’s hypothesis was of a sphere of protocomets in orbit far away from the sun. Occasionally, some of its contents broke free to plummet into the inner solar system, where they would become comets. Oort’s idea explained long-period comets, but his assumption explaining short period comets (long-life comets whose encounter with a planet shortened its orbit) proved incorrect. Although Gerard Kuiper is widely credited with the original idea of the belt, the prediction’s pioneer was really Julio Fernandez. Fernandez was the author of a 1980 paper titled, “On the Existence of a Comet Belt Beyond Neptune” was the first elaborated description of the hypothesized Kuiper Belt. While Gerard Kuiper simply pitched the idea, Fernandez fully explained it. The belt explained the existence of short-lived comets, but with the answer of one question, another took its place. In reference to models of planet formation, the Kuiper Belt should contain objects rivaling or even surpassing Earth’s size. However, its overall mass is about ten percent of Earth’s. Through this, the Kuiper Belt has revealed even more questions and information about the solar system’s beginning. The belt and the contents of KBOs continue to pose questions and possible …show more content…
Two Caltech scientists claim to have confirmed its existence because of the eccentric orbits of several KBOs. According to the calculations of these two scientists, Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin, the fact that the KBOs’ clustered orbits are coincidental is one in fifteen thousand. Correspondingly, they concluded that the orbits of the KBOs were the result of the gravitational field of a planet ten times the mass of Earth. Despite much spirited debate in the scientific community about its existence, the fact remains that without the Kuiper Belt’s existence Planet X’s existence would not even have been theorized. The position and the size of the Kuiper Belt has allowed scientists to explore the belt’s surroundings
Many theories were proposed, notably that of Jan Oort. Oort’s hypothesis was of a sphere of protocomets in orbit far away from the sun. Occasionally, some of its contents broke free to plummet into the inner solar system, where they would become comets. Oort’s idea explained long-period comets, but his assumption explaining short period comets (long-life comets whose encounter with a planet shortened its orbit) proved incorrect. Although Gerard Kuiper is widely credited with the original idea of the belt, the prediction’s pioneer was really Julio Fernandez. Fernandez was the author of a 1980 paper titled, “On the Existence of a Comet Belt Beyond Neptune” was the first elaborated description of the hypothesized Kuiper Belt. While Gerard Kuiper simply pitched the idea, Fernandez fully explained it. The belt explained the existence of short-lived comets, but with the answer of one question, another took its place. In reference to models of planet formation, the Kuiper Belt should contain objects rivaling or even surpassing Earth’s size. However, its overall mass is about ten percent of Earth’s. Through this, the Kuiper Belt has revealed even more questions and information about the solar system’s beginning. The belt and the contents of KBOs continue to pose questions and possible …show more content…
Two Caltech scientists claim to have confirmed its existence because of the eccentric orbits of several KBOs. According to the calculations of these two scientists, Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin, the fact that the KBOs’ clustered orbits are coincidental is one in fifteen thousand. Correspondingly, they concluded that the orbits of the KBOs were the result of the gravitational field of a planet ten times the mass of Earth. Despite much spirited debate in the scientific community about its existence, the fact remains that without the Kuiper Belt’s existence Planet X’s existence would not even have been theorized. The position and the size of the Kuiper Belt has allowed scientists to explore the belt’s surroundings