How were the icy bodies forming the Oort Cloud originally placed into their distant orbits?
Answer
Gravitational scattering by maturing gas giants
Scientists hypothesize that as Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune matured gravitationally, their mass acted as a slingshot, kicking the icy bodies onto eccentric, long orbits far from the Sun.
#Videos
The Oort Cloud - YouTube
Related Questions
What substances, besides water ice, are specified as comprising the icy inventory of the Oort Cloud?How were the icy bodies forming the Oort Cloud originally placed into their distant orbits?What is the estimated starting distance, in Astronomical Units (AU), for the Oort Cloud?What is the key characteristic regarding the density of the Oort Cloud objects that prevents the cloud from blocking background starlight?What temperature range, in Kelvin, is suggested for the main Oort Cloud region at distances around 5,000 AU?Which celestial bodies are credited with the gravitational scattering event that created the Oort Cloud?How are long-period comets linked to the Oort Cloud, in terms of their observation?What distinguishes the orbital period of an Oort Cloud comet from a Kuiper Belt object?What appearance does the Sun take on when viewed from the main region of the Oort Cloud?What process causes the characteristic coma and tail to form on an Oort Cloud object as it approaches the inner system?