Facts about Kuiper Belt composition
- 09
Sulfur compounds, including hydrogen sulfide ice, have been detected on several large Kuiper Belt objects and contribute to the chemical diversity of trans-Neptunian icy bodies.
- 08
Hydrogen cyanide ice, detected on Pluto and other large Kuiper Belt objects, represents a significant prebiotic organic compound preserved in these ancient icy bodies.
- 07
Ethane ice, a relatively minor constituent in Kuiper Belt composition, has been detected on several objects including Pluto's surface through infrared spectroscopy.
- 06
Carbon monoxide ice, detected spectroscopically on several Kuiper Belt objects including Pluto and Eris, constitutes a minor but measurable volatile component alongside the dominant water and methane ices.
- 05
Crystalline water ice dominates the solid surfaces of Kuiper Belt objects, comprising the structural foundation of most dwarf planets and larger icy bodies in the region.
- 04
Nitrogen ice, detected on Pluto's surface by New Horizons in 2015, represents a significant volatile component in Kuiper Belt bodies alongside water, methane, and ammonia ices.
- 03
Tholins, complex organic molecules formed by ultraviolet radiation striking ices, give many Kuiper Belt objects their reddish coloration observed by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft.
- 02
Methane ice, water ice, and ammonia ice dominate Kuiper Belt composition, with methane detected spectroscopically on dwarf planet Pluto and numerous trans-Neptunian objects.
- 01
Objects in the Kuiper Belt contain approximately 100,000 times more mass in icy bodies than the asteroid belt contains in rocky material.