What is the Kuiper Belt?

The Kuiper Belt is the region beyond Neptune containing much of the same material used to form our solar system. Pluto is one of the larger bodies from this area, but it is also the home of the comets that frequent the inner solar system. The Kuiper Belt was proposed by Dutch astronomer Jan Oort back in 1950. However it is astronomer Gerard Kuiper who has his name associated with this belt. His predictions concerning comets from this region were not fully proven until 1992. So all of this is still recent science. And what about Pluto? It is the monster of ice planets? Actually, no. In fact, Xena holds this title. Read here for more.

Viewing New Horizons

We are off to a great start as we head towards the last planet in the solar system! The 3 billion mile trip to Pluto began yesterday and now we have a show that will last at least 9.5 years. NASA's New Horizons spacecraft broke away from Earth's and will someday visit Pluto and then break away from the inner solar system and inspect the Kuiper Belt - a cold and ice filled region from which planetoids periodically appear. You can monitor this little craft by visiting the Johns Hopkins University site.

Note: This if the first entry of Mars or Bust...a site designed to keep you wondering about this amazing world. Be it Pluto, Mars, the Milky Way or the Big Bang itself, the investigation is just beginning.