Hubble Finds Possible Triple System 3.7 Billion Miles Away in the Kuiper Belt

Hubble Finds Possible Triple System 3.7 Billion Miles Away in the Kuiper Belt

 

Today, we dive into the mysteries of the Kuiper Belt, home to thousands of icy remnants from the early solar system. Among these objects, scientists have cataloged over 3,000, yet they estimate there could be hundreds of thousands more, each spanning more than 10 miles in diameter, with Pluto being the most famous.

Recent research using data from the Keck Observatory in Hawaii and NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has revealed a potential three-body system in the Kuiper Belt, known as the Altjira system. This discovery challenges traditional collision theories by suggesting that these triple systems might form directly from the gravitational collapse of material in the early solar disk.

The Altjira system, located roughly 3.7 billion miles away, demonstrates how even the most distant and faint objects can yield groundbreaking insights when observed over decades. Join us as we explore how these long-term observations are reshaping our understanding of the solar system’s formation and evolution.

Press Release: "NASA's Hubble Finds Kuiper Belt Duo May Be Trio" https://www.stsci.edu/contents/news-releases/2025/news-2025-007.html

Science paper "Beyond Point Masses. IV. Trans-Neptunian Object Altjira Is Likely a Hierarchical Triple Discovered through Non-Keplerian Motion":
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/PSJ/ad864d

Video Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center 

Paul Morris: Lead Producer
Duration: 2 minutes, 21 seconds
Release Date: March 4, 2025

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