Kuiperbeltet

Kuiperbeltet, eller Kuiperbeltet (the Kuiper belt) is a disc-shaped region of the Solar System that lies beyond Neptune’s orbit. It extends roughly from 30 to 55 astronomical units from the Sun and contains a large population of icy bodies, including several dwarf planets. The belt is named after the Dutch-American astronomer Gerard Kuiper, whose hypothesis in the mid-20th century proposed a reservoir of remnants from the Solar System’s formation.

The belt is composed mainly of frozen volatiles such as water ice, methane, and ammonia, mixed with rock. Objects range from small particles to dwarf planets; the most notable members include Pluto, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake. The population is extensive, with thousands of objects discovered and many more believed to exist, most of which are tiny and dark.

Dynamics within the Kuiper belt are shaped by gravitational interactions with Neptune. Some bodies are in mean-motion resonances, while others occupy a relatively stable classical population. The belt is considered a remnant of the protoplanetary disk that formed the outer planets, preserving clues about the early solar system. Its structure and composition help inform models of planetary migration and formation.

Kuiperbeltet is a source of short-period comets and provides important constraints on planetary formation theories. The first confirmed Kuiper belt object, 1992 QB1, was discovered by Dave Jewitt and Jane Luu, marking a turning point in outer-Solar-System studies. Since then, many larger objects and binary systems have been identified, expanding understanding of the belt’s diversity and history.