Oort cloud

Though the 1970s-era space probe has finally slipped into an interstellar realm, in some senses it is still very much within the bounds of the solar system.

Artist rendering of the Ort Cloud that surrounds our Solar System

At the edge of the Sun's gravitational influence, there's a cloud of ice and rock. Probably.

Discussion of the Oort Cloud, a population of comets that originate in the outer reaches of the solar system. It is a Special Topic for Ice and Stone 2020.

Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud in context

Astronomers have discovered a new comet coming from the Oort Cloud — and early estimates suggest it's a big one.

The Oort Cloud begins about 2,000 to 5,000 AU from the Sun and stretches to about 10,000 to 100,000 AU (0.16 to 1.6 light-years), according to NASA. But keep in mind this outer boundary is pretty nebulous, so there is no hard line where the Oort Cloud ends.

Get Oort Cloud facts. Learn about its location and size, the objects it may contain, and how scientists study it.

(1) FarLife na platformě X: „The Oort cloud is a theoretical cloud of comets and small icy objects located at the outermost edge of the solar system. They create a spherical shell-like shape that orbits the Sun. The Oort cloud is estimated to extend a vast distance of up to 3 light-years from the Sun. https://t.co/RX9FXnYqFx“ / X