File:TheKuiperBelt Projections 100AU Classical SDO-cs.svg

Projection of the aligned orbits of the scattered, classical and resonant objects. Plotted by a program written by Eurocommuter.

Both projections

• The nodes of the orbits are brought to 270°; and the perihelia to 0° to simplify the comparison of the perihelia and aphelia
• Objects plotted: classical in blue, resonant (2:5) in green, classified scattered in black, not formally classified in grey

Polar view

The aligned orbits are further reclined onto the ecliptic (i.e. rotated around the line of nodes by an angle opposite to the inclination) to allow for easy comparison of perihelia and aphelia.

• Polar coordinates
  • Distance from the Sun (the small gold disk) in AU.
  • Argument not drawn
• Red circle: 35AU (perihelion limit; limit of stability with Neptune)
• Yellow circle: 30AU (~Neptune’s orbit)
• Notice how the classical objects are still in primordial, low-eccentricity orbits

Ecliptic view

Projection of the aligned orbits on the plane x,z ((looking at the ecliptic from the edge); the point of view is the ascending node.

• Polar coordinates.
  • Axis: distance form the Sun; perihelia on the left, aphelia on the right.
  • Angle: orbit inclination [°]
• Red arc: 35 AU perihelion limit
• Yellow arc: 30AU (Neptune’s orbit) perihelion

Data source

Minor Planet Center Orbit database as of Feb 14th, 2006 except for resonant orbits' classification.