What evidence do we have that suggests the existence of the Oort Cloud?

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

First, let's restate the question and the options to be clear about what is being evaluated.
Question: What evidence do we have that suggests the existence of the Oort Cloud?
Answer options:
- Gravitational perturbations on the orbits of Uranus and Neptune
- The abundance of methane in the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune
- Comets with extremely elliptical and long period orbits
- Observations of similar structures in other solar systems

Option 1: Gravitational perturbations on the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. While the orbits of outer planets can be affected by distant masses, the specific perturbations of Uranus and Neptune are more commonly discussed in the context of the Kuiper Belt and the overall mass distribution of the outer solar system. This option does not uniquely point to the distant, isotropic reservoir predicted by the Oort Cloud, and the evidence is not the classic signature used to infer the Oort Cloud's existence.

Option 2: The abundance of methane in the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune. This chemical observation is related to the atmospheric composition of the ice giants and has no direct bearing on evidence for a distant, spherical shell of comets surrounding the solar system. Therefore, it does not support the Oort Cloud hypothesis and is not a suitable indicator.

Option 3: Comets with extremely elliptical and long period orbits. This is the hallmark often cited in textbooks and discussions of the Oort Cloud: long-period comets originating from a distant, loosely bound reservoir that travel in highly elongated trajectories, sometimes taking millions of years to complete an orbit. Their characteristics align with the idea of a distant, spherical shell of icy bodies that can be perturbed into the inner solar system, making this option a strong fit for evidence of the Oort Cloud.

Option 4: Observations of similar structures in other solar systems. While observing analogs around other stars supports the idea that outer reservoirs of small bodies can exist, it does not provide direct evidence for the specific Oort Cloud around our Sun. It suggests plausibility but is not the classic evidence used to infer our own Oort Cloud’s existence.

In summary, option 3 aligns best with the standard explanation for the Oort Cloud: the presence of comets on extremely long-period and highly elliptical orbits that originate from a distant reservoir. The other options describe observations or phenomena that are either tangentially related, misaligned with the Oort Cloud concept, or not direct evidence for it.

ASTR-1-45046-F25 Lecture: The Asteroid and Kuiper Belts

What evidence do we have that suggests the existence of the Oort Cloud?

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