Oort cloud bodies and prevalence

Loren Booda · Dec 26, 2010

What is the largest astronomical body in the Oort cloud? Do such clouds exist for most solar systems?

mathman · Dec 26, 2010

I don't think your questions can be answered now. The Oort cloud is so far away that I doubt if any details are known beyond the fact that it is there and many comets come from it.
As for other solar systems astronomers are able to detect large nearby planets. Analogies to the Oort cloud are too faint to detect today.

Loren Booda · Dec 26, 2010

mathman said:

I don't think your questions can be answered now. The Oort cloud is so far away that I doubt if any details are known beyond the fact that it is there and many comets come from it.
As for other solar systems astronomers are able to detect large nearby planets. Analogies to the Oort cloud are too faint to detect today.

Are comets considered to be part of our solar system? What other bodies visit our solar system on a regular basis?

mathman · Dec 27, 2010

Periodic comets are part of our solar system. Other regular visitors include "rock" collections which are responsible for periodic meteor showers.

Oort cloud bodies and prevalence

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