At least a dozen large and as yet unknown objects have been identified in the Kuiper Belt at the edge of the solar system. The discovery also indicates that the Kuiper Belt is much more extensive than previously thought, writes the Science-based journal Futurism.
Scientists currently believe that the outer limit of the Kuiper Belt is located about 50 astronomical units (CSE) from the center of the solar system (1 CSE is the distance from the Earth to the Sun, which is 150 million km).
However, according to researchers’ estimates, the mysterious objects may orbit at a distance of up to 60 CSE.
Experts believe that it is also possible that there is another region outside the Kuiper Belt, which astronomers have not yet found due to its distance, and that these celestial bodies originate from there.
There could be twelve
the Discovery By NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft. The research instrument, which was launched in 2006, has the distinction of being the first to visit the planet Pluto, which is also connected to the Kuiper Belt, thus becoming one of the farthest space probes created by humanity.
Currently orbiting 57 CSE from the Sun, New Horizons’ instruments continually detect dust created by collisions with nearby objects.
“Since the number of collisions is not decreasing, it is possible that there are more objects that we did not know existed,” New Horizons mission scientist Alan Stern said.
With the help of the Japanese Subaru Telescope, they were able to narrow down the area where the suspicious objects might be orbiting. So far, it seems that 12 mysterious celestial bodies have been found. However, it is possible that their number will increase over time.
More tests are needed
However, the results so far have not convinced the scientific community 100 percent. Other telescopes examining the outer solar system have not found the objects suggested by New Horizons.
On the other hand, the Hubble Space Telescope has detected star dimming that may be caused by suspected objects, so astronomers are continuing their investigations.
