Scattered disc

The scattered disc is a distant region of the Solar System populated by trans-Neptunian objects on elongated, often inclined orbits. Neptune’s gravity strongly altered these orbits, scattering many objects outward.

Neptune: Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun and the outermost known planet in the Solar System. Close gravitational encounters with Neptune scattered objects onto the orbits that define this region.
Trans-Neptunian object: A trans-Neptunian object is a small Solar System body that orbits the Sun beyond Neptune. Scattered-disc members are trans-Neptunian objects distinguished by their strongly perturbed orbits.
(225088) 2007 OR10: (225088) 2007 OR10, now named Gonggong, is a large trans-Neptunian object with a distant, eccentric orbit. Gonggong is a prominent large object often associated with the scattered disc.
Nice model: The Nice model is a theory of Solar System evolution in which the giant planets underwent major orbital rearrangement. It describes early planetary dynamics that could scatter icy bodies into distant orbits.
Orbital resonance: Orbital resonance occurs when orbiting bodies exert periodic gravitational influence on one another because their orbital periods have a ratio of small integers. Resonances with Neptune can trap scattered objects and alter their orbital evolution.
Eccentricity: Eccentricity measures how much an orbit deviates from a circle. High eccentricity gives many scattered-disc objects elongated paths that bring them relatively near Neptune.
(87269) 2000 OO67: (87269) 2000 OO67 is a trans-Neptunian object with an exceptionally elongated orbit. Its extreme eccentricity illustrates how far scattered objects can travel from the Sun.
Kuiper belt formation: Kuiper belt formation concerns how icy planetesimals beyond Neptune assembled and evolved during Solar System history. The scattered disc’s origin is tied to the redistribution of primordial trans-Neptunian material.
Planetary migration: Planetary migration is a change in a planet’s orbit caused by gravitational interactions with other bodies in a planetary system. Neptune’s outward migration helped shape the distant small-body populations, including the scattered disc.
Orbital inclination: Orbital inclination is the angle between an orbit’s plane and a chosen reference plane. Inclined orbits are common in the scattered disc and reflect its dynamically disturbed history.

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