Which structure, theoretically encompassing icy bodies, extends the Sun's gravitational influence up to perhaps a light-year away?
Answer
Oort cloud
The Oort cloud represents the theoretical, outermost boundary of the Sun's gravitational domain. This vast, spherical shell is composed of icy bodies orbiting the Sun at immense distances, potentially extending as far as one light-year away. It is distinct from the Kuiper Belt, which resides much closer, beyond the orbit of Pluto, and marks a region where the Sun's gravity remains the dominant force holding objects in orbit.
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