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The Search at Edge of the Solar System



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Is there a hard edge to the solar system? The question led to a big, breakthrough discovery that changed the way we picture the solar system - and every other solar system in the universe. The Kuiper Belt is a gigantic field of small, icy objects beyond Neptune, “planet scraps” left over from the formation of the planets. For many, many years, no one believed it might exist. Until astronomers Jane Luu and David Jewitt decided to see what was out there. In this episode, Jane Luu tells the story of how she helped discover the Kuiper Belt.


Transcript-The Search at the Edge of the Solar System
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Want to learn more about the Kuiper Belt? Let's do it!

VIDEOS

Here's a quick overview of the Kuiper Belt:

Jane Luu received the prestigious Kavli Prize for her role in discovering the Kuiper Belt. Here's her lecture, which takes the story she tells on Tumble into much greater depth and detail.

Why are small bodies or "worlds" so interesting? This video explains what they might be able to tell us about our solar system.

ARTICLES & WEBSITES

In this article, Jane's collaborator, Dr. David Jewitt, shares how he got the idea to search for small objects behind Neptune, and what the discovery means.

Serious Science: Kuiper Belt

NASA shares the latest in Kuiper Belt news, including kid-friendly Kuiper Belt resources.

NASA Science: Kuiper Belt

NASA's New Horizons Mission flew through the Kuiper Belt, giving us an up close view of those small, icy objects.

New Horizons: About the Kuiper Belt

Here's a few of the largest objects in the Kuiper Belt:

Various celestial objects in the Kuiper Belt. Various planets are shown.

KUIPER BELT RESEARCH

Many astronomers are fascinated by the Kuiper Belt. Here's what they're learning.

Tiny object found at the edge of the solar system for the first time - only 2.6 km across

New images of the distant Ultima Thule object have surprised scientists

The elusive "Planet Nine"

There's a snowman in space

Check back soon
Once posts are published, you’ll see them here.
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