The Invisible 1.5 Light-Year Wall Around Our Solar System

This video is a part of a series looking at the Outer Solar System. The Oort Cloud is believed to be a vast cosmic shell at the edge of our Solar System that astronomers have never directly seen. The colossal structure contains trillions of icy bodies and stretches nearly a light-year radius from our Sun, taking light weeks to reach its inner edge. Within, ancient chunks of ice larger than mountains drift in endless orbits, occasionally disturbed by passing stars that send them plunging toward the inner solar system as comets and potential hazards to Earth. So if no one has ever seen it, how do we know it even exists? In addition to a general overview of the Oort Cloud, I’ll address the reasons why some scientists question its existence. ▀▀▀▀▀▀ 0:00 Does the Oort Cloud exist? 1:18 Solar system debris 3:20 Observing comets 6:47 How did the Oort Cloud form? 8:08 Visit from another star 9:42 How far away is the Oort Cloud? 12:33 Grounds for suspicion 13:39 Why can’t we see it? 14:57 Up for debate ▀▀▀▀▀▀ To stay on top of space news, sign up to the Astrum newsletter: https://astrumspace.kit.com Astrum Displate Posters: https://displate.com/astrumspace?art=... Astrum Merch: https://astrum-shop.fourthwall.com/ Join us on the Astrum discord:   / discord   A huge thanks to our Patreons who help make these videos possible. Sign-up here to support the channel: https://bit.ly/4aiJZNF ▀▀▀▀▀▀ Astrum Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6jPRrbq... Astrum Earth:    / @astrumearth   Astrum Extra:    / @astrumextra   Astrum Spanish:    / @astrumespanol   Astrum Portuguese:    / @astrumbrasil   ▀▀▀▀▀▀ Credits: Writer: Michelle Babcock Editor: Frame Forge Thumbnail Designer: Peter Sheppard Channel Manager: Georgina Brenner Executive Producer: Raquel Taylor Creator of Astrum: Alex McColgan With special thanks to: NASA/ESO/ESA #astrum #space #oortcloud