Kuiperbelt

The Kuiper Belt, also known as the Kuiper Belt (Hebrew: חגורת קויפר, Hagorat Kuifer), is a vast region of the Solar System that lies beyond the orbits of the planets, extending from about 30 to 55 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun. It is similar to the asteroid belt but is far larger, with a greater number of icy bodies composed largely of frozen volatiles such as methane, ammonia, and water. The Kuiper Belt is named after Dutch-American astronomer Gerard Kuiper, who hypothesized its existence in 1951, although it was not directly observed until 1992. This region is the source of short-period comets and is home to several dwarf planets, including Pluto, Eris, Makemake, and Haumea. The Kuiper Belt provides crucial insights into the early Solar System's formation and evolution, as its objects are remnants from that era.