The Kuiper Belt (pronounced "KAI-per") is a ring of space debris in the outer reaches of our solar system, a bit past Neptune.

Like the asteroid belt, it consists mainly of small bodies or remnants from when the Solar System formed. While many asteroids are composed primarily of rock and metal, most Kuiper belt objects are composed largely of frozen volatiles (termed "ices"), such as methane, ammonia, and water. The Kuiper belt is home to most of the objects that astronomers generally accept as dwarf planets, like Pluto (sorry Pluto). Some of the Solar System's moons, such as Neptune's Triton and Saturn's Phoebe, may have originated in the region.

In 1992, minor planet Albion was discovered, the first Kuiper belt object since Pluto (in 1930) and Charon (in 1978). Since its discovery, the number of known KBOs has increased to thousands, and more than 100,000 KBOs over 100 km (62 mi) in diameter are thought to exist. The Kuiper belt was initially thought to be the main repository for periodic comets, those with orbits lasting less than 200 years. Studies since the mid-1990s have shown that the belt is dynamically stable and that comets' true place of origin is the scattered disc, a dynamically active zone created by the outward motion of Neptune 4.5 billion years ago.

The Kuiper belt is distinct from the hypothesized Oort cloud, which is believed to be a thousand times more distant and mostly spherical. The objects within the Kuiper belt, together with the members of the scattered disc and any potential Hills cloud or Oort cloud objects, are collectively referred to as trans-Neptunian objects :trans-ferret:


"You posted this in !earth@hexbear.net , even though it's literally about not-Earth :very-intelligent: ". c/Earth is your home comm for all things nature related, including fun posts about animals, rocks, etc. Going forward, please consider posting animal related megathreads in this lovely comm.


Announcements & Information

Megathreads and spaces to hang out:
❤️ Come listen to music with your fellow Hexbears in Cy.tube
💖 Come talk in the New weekly queer thread
🧡 Monthly Neurodiverse Megathread
💛 Read about a current topic in the news
⭐️ May Movie Schedule ⭐️

Reminders:
💚 You can join specific comms to see posts about all sorts of topics
💙 Hexbear’s algorithm prioritizes comments and discussions over upbears
💜 Sorting by new makes your comrades happy
🌈 If you ever want to make your own megathread, you can go here

‏‏‎ ‎
Links To Resources (Aid and Theory):

spoiler

Aid:
‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ 💙‎ Comprehensive list of resources for those in need of an abortion -- reddit link
‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎💙 Resources for Palestine
Theory:
‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ ❤️ Foundations of Leninism
‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ ❤️ Anarchism and Other Essays
‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ ❤️ Mega upload with theory for many tendencies


Today's struggle session is pride themed:

What is the best sexuality?

Please argue passionately in the comments. This can only go well.

  • Kresimir [they/them]
    ·
    2 years ago

    :chomsky-yes-honey: I still have it bookmarked as chapo dot chat