What is the Oort cloud and why can't we see it

A huge cloud of icy objects may surround the Solar System

Up To 1 Trillion Icy Objects

Scientists think the Oort cloud is a huge sphere of icy objects surrounding the Solar System. It may be the source of all comets that take a very long time to orbit the Sun, but astronomers cannot see it directly. It could contain up to a trillion icy objects.

Polar ice holds more water than groundwater, lakes and rivers combined

Earth’s large polar ice sheets contain more water than all of its groundwater, lakes, rivers, and atmospheric water combined.

Tree rings point to an unusually large solar event

Carbon-14 in tree rings points to a solar event in 774–775 CE. The event is estimated to have been at least 10 times the size of the Carrington Event, and its carbon-14 signal was about 20 times the normal variation associated with solar activity.

Like this? There’s a whole feed of it. Replace empty scrolling with things worth knowing.

Download Hence for free

What is the Oort cloud and why can't we see it

A huge cloud of icy objects may surround the Solar System

Keep exploring