Webb-Hubble survey uncovers unexpectedly sparse tiny Kuiper Belt objects
TL;DR Summary
A deep Webb survey directly detected 27 faint trans-Neptunian objects (as small as ~5–10 km) with Hubble colors for some detections, finding a slower-than-expected rise in numbers toward smaller sizes. This suggests the Kuiper Belt was not ground down as much by collisions as some planet-formation models predicted, and that tiny TNOs retain clues to their primordial origins while maintaining color continuity with larger belt objects.
Topics:science#hubble-space-telescope#james-webb-space-telescope#kuiper-belt#size-distribution#space#trans-neptunian-objects
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