scattered disk
astronomy
Quick Summary
The scattered disk is a region of the solar system located beyond the orbit of Neptune. It is populated by icy bodies that are gravitationally scattered by Neptune. These objects have more eccentric and inclined orbits compared to those in the Kuiper belt, which is a flatter disk of icy bodies. The scattered disk is considered a source of short-period comets, as Neptune can perturb these objects inward to become Jupiter-family comets.1
Summary created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
6 Britannica Sources
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
