Scattered disc

Eris, the biggest minor planet in the scattered disc

The scattered disc (or scattered disk) is a distant part of the solar system. The area has small icy minor planets known as scattered disc objects (SDOs). The part of the scattered disc closest to the sun is in an area of space called the Kuiper belt. The Oort cloud lies beyond the scattered disc. The first SDO was found in 1995 by Spacewatch.

The scattered disk is still not understood well. Astronomers believe that it was created when objects in the Kuiper belt were "scattered" by the gravity of the outer planets, mainly Neptune. Unlike most objects in the Solar System which move in a round and flat path, scattered disc objects go every which way. Different SDOs have different orbital eccentricity and orbital inclination.

Scattered Disc Media

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  The eccentricity and inclination of the scattered-disc population compared to the classical and 5:2 resonant Kuiper-belt objects

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  Distribution of trans-Neptunian objects, with semi-major axis on the horizontal, and inclination on the vertical axis. Scattered disc objects are shown in grey, objects that are in resonance with Neptune in red. Classical Kuiper belt objects (cubewanos) and sednoids are blue and yellow, respectively.

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  Simulation showing Outer Planets and Kuiper Belt: a) Before Jupiter/Saturn 2:1 resonance b) Scattering of Kuiper-belt objects into the Solar System after the orbital shift of Neptune c) After ejection of Kuiper-belt bodies by Jupiter

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  The infrared spectra of both Eris and Pluto, highlighting their common methane absorption lines

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  Tempel 1, a Jupiter-family comet