whats the difference between the oort cloud and the kuiper b

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brazilian_and_proud

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The Oort cloud is an immense spherical cloud surrounding the planetary system and extending approximately 3 light years, about 30 trillion kilometers from the Sun. This vast distance is considered the edge of the Sun's orb of physical, gravitational, or dynamical influence.<br /><br />The Kuiper Belt is a disk-shaped region past the orbit of Neptune extending roughly from 30 to 50 AU from the Sun containing many small icy bodies. It is now considered to be the source of the short-period comets.<br />
 
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Saiph

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and as far as I know, there's been no realy confirmation of the existence of the Oort cloud, it's still a theoretical "should be". <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#c0c0c0"><br /></font></p><p align="center"><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">----</font></em></font><font color="#666699">SaiphMOD@gmail.com </font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">-------------------</font></em></font></p><p><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">"This is my Timey Wimey Detector.  Goes "bing" when there's stuff.  It also fries eggs at 30 paces, wether you want it to or not actually.  I've learned to stay away from hens: It's not pretty when they blow" -- </font></em></font><font size="1" color="#999999">The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>
 
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qso1

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It is thought to extend out only about a light year rather than three light years. There may not be all that much difference between the Oort cloud bodies and Kuiper belt bodies. Icy rocks, primordial cometary objects etc. But I don't know that as a fact yet.<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oort_cloud <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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There is some evidence: the long period comets.<br />Examples are Hyuakutake and Hale-Bopp with orbits of /> 2000 years.<br />The orbital distribution for long period comets is 50/50 prograde and retrograde, therefore agreeing with the Oort cloud concept.<br />Kuiper Belt objects, be they comets or asteroids (or somewhere in between) are within 20 degrres of the ecliptic, which likely means they are derived from the solar system's protostellar disk. Most comets and asteroids from here revolve prograde, although the census is not complete. Over 98 percent of those that are knowm are in prograde, low inclination orbits. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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buckeye101

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Thanks you's for the links and help, but is the Oort Cloud and Kuiper belt consist of the same kind of icey bodies, or are they composed of different materials? If not what do each contain and what distinguishes them apart (besides the distance from the sun of course)?
 
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MeteorWayne

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Well, we really don't know too much specific about the composition of the Kuiper Belt and Oort cloud.<br />That's one reason New Horizons is on the way to pluto and beyond is to investigate KB objects.<br />What we know is that some have reddened (organic goo?) surfaces, and some are icier.<br />Much to learn.<br />As for the Oort cloud, they are suspected to be objects that were ejected from the inner solar system by interactions with the Gas and ice giants, particularly Jupiter (which is approx 72% of the mass of the solar system other than the sun).<br />The only samples we have are the long period comets, which obviously have a lot of ice, but so do many Kuiper belt objects.<br />Stay tuned as we learn more! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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alokmohan

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Oort cloud is still not clearly understood.New Horizon may throw light.
 
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MeteorWayne

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New Horizon is heading for the Kuiper Belt, not the Oort cloud.<br />It would take centuries to get there! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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brazilian_and_proud

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hopefully new horizons will at least answer some questions
 
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MeteorWayne

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That's why we sent it there! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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Boris_Badenov

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<font color="yellow"> New Horizon is heading for the Kuiper Belt, not the Oort cloud. <br />It would take centuries to get there! </font><br /> At 550 AU the Kuiper Belt & the Oort Cloud are the same thing. we could get there in less that 20 years using a MItEE Powered probe.<br /><br /><font color="orange"> The MITEE engine appears to be very promising for<br />future robotic and human exploration missions in the<br />Solar System and beyond to interstellar space. It has<br />unique capabilities and can carry out many important<br />scientific missions that are impossible using chemical<br />or Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) engines.<br />The high thrust and lightweight of the MITEE engine<br />enable it to land and take off from the surfaces of<br />planets and moons. By replenishing H2 propellant<br />from in-situ water ice, or by using the atmosphere, it<br />can hop to and explore many different sites on a<br />planet or moon, to collect samples, which then can be<br />returned to Earth. The MITEE engine can also be<br />configured as a nuclear ramjet, to fly for years in the<br />atmospheres of Jupiter and the other giant planets,<br />transmitting real time data on the atmosphere<br />behavior back to Earth.<br />Besides the ability to perform unique missions such<br />as those listed above, the MITEE engine also enables<br />much shorter mission trip times than are possible<br />using chemical or NEP engines. For missions to near<br />interstellar space, a spacecraft employing a high<br />thrust MITEE burn on a close approach to the Sun<br />could travel out of the Solar System at 30 AU per<br />year, reaching the Kuiper Belt in only 2 years, the<br />Heliopause in 3 years, and the Gravitational Lensing<br />Point at 550 AU in 18 years<br />Because of the already existing extensive NTP<br />technology base, and its relatively simplicity of<br />design and operation, the MITEE engine could be<br />ready for mission implementation in the 2010 to 2015<br />AD timeframe, wi</font> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>
 
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buckeye101

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so it seems the jury is still out on this one---thanks guys for the links and info!
 
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MeteorWayne

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Boris, I hope you're right. I haven't heard anything about planning for such a mission, so the 2010 to 2015 timeframe seems a little soon.<br />The bigger question is, what do you aim for? Objects are at least millions of km apart, and we don't know where any of them are!<br />Photography will be tough with almost no ambient light.<br />Still a lot to learn with other instrumentation, though.<br />I guess one target we can aim for is Sedna, which MAy be an Oort object, and we do know where it is. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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