What is Kuiper Belt?
Kuiper Belt is a circumstellar disc in the solar system beyond planets extending from the orbit of Neptune (at 30 Astronomical Units) to approximately 50 Astronomical Units.
It is similar to Asteroid Belt but 20 times wider and 20-200 times as massive.
Objects found in Kuiper Belt are mostly composed of frozen volatile material such as methane, ammonia, and water.
It is home to 3 Dwarf Planets (Pluto, Haumea, and Makemake) and 2 Moons (Triton, Neptune and Phoebe, Saturn).
You may also like to read
Please leave your valuable feedback/suggestions. Share this article with your friends and other aspirants.
Follow us on FACEBOOK
More Terms for your Interest-
Goldilocks Zone- (Circumstellar Habitable Zone). This means areas in the orbit of Stars where the likelihood of finding life is maximum. | Exoplanets- Exoplanets are Extra-solar planets. Planets around any star outside the solar system are Exoplanets. |
Super-Earth- Extra-solar planets which have mass higher than Earth but lesser than that of Uranus and Neptune. Super-Earths don’t have to have a life-finding probability. It just concerns the mass of the planet. | Kessler Syndrome- Scenario in which the density of objects in Earth’s space can cause a cascade of collisions. Each collision generates space debris that increases the likelihood of further collisions. |
Chandra X-Ray Observatory- Launched by NASA in 1999. | LISA Pathfinder- Launched by ESA for the detection of Gravitational Waves. eLISA- Evolved Laser Interferometer Space Antenna |