Why Hasn't the Kuiper Belt and Scattered Disc Coalesced into a Planet?

Thread starter FeynmanMH42
Start date Oct 25, 2006
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The Kuiper Belt and Scattered Disc have not coalesced into a planet due to high eccentricities that result in high-velocity collisions. These collisions tend to grind objects down rather than build them up. Additionally, the slow movement of objects in this vast region means that collisions are infrequent. The combination of these factors suggests that the formation of a planet from this material is unlikely. Thus, the Kuiper Belt and Scattered Disc will likely remain as they are.

Oct 25, 2006

FeynmanMH42

Why has this not coalesced yet to form a planet?

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Oct 25, 2006

tony873004

Science Advisor

Gold Member

It never will. Eccentricities are too high, so any collisions would not be low-velocity. Collisions will grind things down instead of build them up. They also move very slowly, and the volume of space out there is huge, so collisions are not even that likely.

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