|
Definition of Oort cloud
1. Noun. (astronomy) a hypothetical huge collection of comets orbiting the sun far beyond the orbit of Pluto; perturbations (as by other stars) can upset a comet's orbit and may send it tumbling toward the sun.
Generic synonyms: Accumulation, Aggregation, Assemblage, Collection
Definition of Oort cloud
1. Proper noun. (astronomy) A roughly spherical region of space from 50,000 to 100,000 astronomical units (approximately 1 light year) from the sun; supposedly the source of most comets. ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Lexicographical Neighbors of Oort Cloud
Literary usage of Oort cloud
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. Exploring Organic Environments in the Solar System by National Research Council (U.S.) (2007)
"Many of the comets formed near Uranus-Neptune (~20 AU) were perturbed outward in
what is now known as the oort cloud, via gravitational interactions with ..."
2. Through Darkness Into Light: Endless Cycles of the Divine Plan by Gyeorgos C. Hatonn (1992)
"This “oort cloud”, as the concept came to be named, settled at a mean distance,
... This, briefly, is how the oort cloud concept is usually stated. ..."