New Comet Belt? | News of the Day

Join Hugh Ross in this breaking News of the Day episode of Stars, Cells, and God. Hugh describes an analysis by an international team of 44 astronomers of a survey of trans-Neptunian objects. This analysis reveals strong evidence for the existence of a sixth belt of asteroids/comets in the solar system. Here are some takeaways:

• The Kuiper Belt asteroids/comets orbit at 35–55 times Earth’s orbital distance from the Sun.
• The asteroids/comets in the newly discovered belt orbit at 70–90 times Earth’s orbital distance from the Sun.
• There appears to be a gap from 55­–70 times Earth’s orbital distance from the Sun where very few asteroids/comets exist.
• If this discovery of a new asteroid/comet is confirmed, it will enable astronomers to develop a much more detailed Grand Tack model for the early migration of solar system planets.
• A more detailed Grand Tack model will reveal even more evidence for the exquisite fine-tuning of the solar system that makes advanced life possible on Earth.

Links and Resources:

• Candidate Distant Trans-Neptunian Objects Detected by the New Horizons Subaru TNO Survey
• Hugh Ross, Designed to the Core