Prof. Scott Tremaine - Comets, unseen planets, and the outer fringes of the solar system @RasOrgUk

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NAM 2021 Plenary

Prof Scott Tremaine - 2020 AAS Russell Lectureship Prize
Comets, unseen planets, and the outer fringes of the solar system

Comets have inspired awe since prehistoric times, but even today there are only a few thousand comets with well-determined orbits. Nevertheless, the analysis of this limited sample yields a compelling model for the formation, evolution and present distribution of comets. This model implies that the primary source of comets is the Oort cloud, containing over 100 billion comets at 5,000 to 100,000 times the Earth-Sun distance. I will review our current understanding of the history and structure of the Oort cloud, and what comets can tell us about possible undiscovered planets beyond Neptune.

Prof. Scott Tremaine - Comets, unseen planets, and the outer fringes of the solar system

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