1992 QB1

astronomy

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July 16, 2026

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(15760) 1992 QB1 is the first recognized Kuiper Belt Object (KBO), discovered in 1992 by astronomers David Jewitt and Jane Luu. It is approximately 200-250 km in diameter and orbits the Sun at about 44 astronomical units (AU), beyond the orbit of Neptune. This discovery confirmed the existence of the Kuiper Belt, a region of icy bodies beyond Neptune, and opened the door to finding thousands more KBOs. The Kuiper Belt is believed to be composed of leftover material from the formation of the outer planets and is a source of short-period comets. The discovery of objects like 1992 QB1 also led to the reclassification of Pluto as a dwarf planet in 2006.12

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Kuiper belt
Discovery of the Kuiper belt
…student Jane Luu discovered (15760) 1992 QB₁, which was considered the first KBO. The body is about 200–250 km (125–155 miles) in diameter, as estimated from its brightness. It moves in a nearly circular orbit in the plane of the planetary system at a distance from the Sun of about…
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…student Jane Luu discovered (15760) 1992 QB₁, which was considered the first KBO. The body is about 200–250 km (125–155 miles) in diameter, as estimated from its brightness. It moves in a nearly circular orbit in the plane of the planetary system at a distance from the Sun of about…
Read More