scattering Kuiper belt object

astronomy
Also known as: scattering KBO

Learn about this topic in these articles:

Kuiper belt

  • Kuiper belt binary object
    In Kuiper belt: Orbital subpopulations

    …with Neptune are called “scattering KBOs.” Scattering KBOs are on orbits that are unstable on million-year timescales. These objects are thought to be in transition from being metastable KBOs to becoming Centaur objects and eventually short-period comets. The metastable region that supplies the scattering population is not known, but…

    Read More
Britannica Chatbot logo

Britannica Chatbot

Chatbot answers are created from Britannica articles using AI. This is a beta feature. AI answers may contain errors. Please verify important information using Britannica articles. About Britannica AI.