Astrum

AD FREE | Does the Oort Cloud Really Exist?

Added 2025-02-24 18:11:49 +0000 UTC

This video is a part of a series looking at the Outer Solar System. The Oort Cloud is believed to be a vast cosmic shell at the edge of our Solar System that astronomers have never directly seen. The colossal structure contains trillions of icy bodies and stretches nearly a light-year radius from our Sun, taking light weeks to reach its inner edge. Within, ancient chunks of ice larger than mountains drift in endless orbits, occasionally disturbed by passing stars that send them plunging toward the inner solar system as comets and potential hazards to Earth. So if no one has ever seen it, how do we know it even exists? In addition to a general overview of the Oort Cloud, I’ll address the reasons why some scientists question its existence.

Thank you to all of you, our Patrons, who continue to support Astrum. We couldn’t do this without you. With your support, we’re able to create these high-quality, informative, and awe-inspiring videos.