Kuiper Belt Objects
The Region just beyond the orbit of Neptune is known as the Kuiper Belt. The Kuiper Belt wasn't discovered until 1992 by David Jewitt. The Kuiper Belt contains small bodies known as Kuiper Belt Objects. Another name for a Kuiper Belt Object is a Trans-Neptunian Object. (KBO's) KBO's can be short-term comets, dwarf planets, asteroids and many other small bodies. One of the more common types of KBO's are short-term comets. Short term comets are comets that revolve quickly around the sun. (1,000 years or less) Most KBO's are composed of ice and rocks.
Pluto
Probably the most well known KBO is the dwarf planet Pluto.
Technically, Pluto was the first KBO discovered, but until 2006, Pluto was considered a planet. Then scientists brought up the fact that the dwarf planet Eris was only a little bit smaller than Pluto and it was considered a dwarf planet. Scientist then decided that the title dwarf planet was more appropriate title for Pluto. Pluto is still the largest KBO though.
Left: Picture of the dwarf planet Pluto.
Technically, Pluto was the first KBO discovered, but until 2006, Pluto was considered a planet. Then scientists brought up the fact that the dwarf planet Eris was only a little bit smaller than Pluto and it was considered a dwarf planet. Scientist then decided that the title dwarf planet was more appropriate title for Pluto. Pluto is still the largest KBO though.
Left: Picture of the dwarf planet Pluto.
Dwarf Planets/Haumea
Four of the five dwarf planets in the solar system are in the Kuiper Belt. They are Pluto, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake.
Haumea is a very strange dwarf planet because it is shaped like a football. The reason it has such an odd shape is because it's rotation is only four hours long. Another strange characteristic of Haumea is that 75% of its surface is crystalline ice. (frozen water)
Right: An artist's depiction of Haumea.
Haumea is a very strange dwarf planet because it is shaped like a football. The reason it has such an odd shape is because it's rotation is only four hours long. Another strange characteristic of Haumea is that 75% of its surface is crystalline ice. (frozen water)
Right: An artist's depiction of Haumea.
Triton
Neptune's largest moon Triton is thought to be a captured KBO because it's compositions is similar to Pluto's. Another reason scientists think it is captured because it has a retrograde rotation. (clockwise)
Resources
"Triton (moon) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." 2003. 1 Feb. 2013 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triton_(moon)>
"Kuiper belt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." 2003. 1 Feb. 2013 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuiper_belt>
"Kuiper Belt Objects: Facts about the Kuiper Belt & KBOs | Space.com." 2012. 1 Feb. 2013 <http://www.space.com/16144-kuiper-belt-objects.html>
Jewitt, David. "Kuiper belt objects." Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences 27.1 (1999): 287-312.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haumea_%28dwarf_planet%29
http://bit.ly/TAXLCg
"Kuiper belt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." 2003. 1 Feb. 2013 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuiper_belt>
"Kuiper Belt Objects: Facts about the Kuiper Belt & KBOs | Space.com." 2012. 1 Feb. 2013 <http://www.space.com/16144-kuiper-belt-objects.html>
Jewitt, David. "Kuiper belt objects." Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences 27.1 (1999): 287-312.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haumea_%28dwarf_planet%29
http://bit.ly/TAXLCg