New Kuiper Belt? Mysterious Zone Discovered at Solar System’s Edge

Astronomers have recently discovered new objects near the outer edges of our solar system. These objects are located in the Kuiper Belt, a distant, icy region beyond Neptune. Known for housing bodies like Pluto and Arrokoth, the Kuiper Belt is home to many icy celestial objects. However, astronomers have noticed a growing number of these objects, referred to as Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs), located between 70 and 90 astronomical units from the Sun, which is significantly farther than the previously known inner KBO population. This discovery suggests that there could be a new, separate section of the Kuiper Belt.

“If confirmed, this could be a groundbreaking discovery,” said planetary scientist Fumi Yoshida from the University of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences and the Chiba Institute of Technology in Japan.

To put this into perspective, the Kuiper Belt traditionally extends from Neptune’s orbit, about 30 astronomical units from the Sun, to approximately 50 astronomical units. One astronomical unit (AU) is the average distance between the Earth and the Sun. The newly identified objects are even farther, creating a vast gap that resembles a distinct Kuiper Belt.

Continuous research into the Kuiper Belt has been conducted to better understand the outer regions of our solar system. Using the Subaru Telescope in Hawai’i, operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, astronomers have identified 263 new Kuiper Belt Objects. Surprisingly, at least 11 of these KBOs are located far beyond where scientists previously believed the Kuiper Belt ended.

An international team led by Wesley Fraser of the National Research Council of Canada discovered that these new objects lie beyond 70 astronomical units. To provide context, the New Horizons spacecraft, which explored Pluto in 2015, is currently around 60 astronomical units from the Sun. Based on the number of these distant objects, researchers determined that the outer ring of the Kuiper Belt is less dense than the inner region, but still substantial enough to form what may be a new structure.

Interestingly, there is a gap between 55 and 70 astronomical units where almost no objects exist, which has baffled scientists. Such gaps are common in other planetary systems, but this is the first time it has been observed in ours.

“Our solar system’s Kuiper Belt has long seemed small compared to other planetary systems, but this might simply be due to observational limitations,” Fraser said. “If this discovery is confirmed, it suggests our Kuiper Belt might not be as small and unique as we once thought when compared to belts around other stars.”