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Old 19-02-2011, 08:02 AM
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CraigS
Unpredictable

CraigS is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 3,023
Formally speaking, the Oort Cloud is still considered a Hypothesis and is not a Theory, due to a paucity of data.

As mentioned in the Wiki description, there are only four known objects which MAY belong to the hypothesised Oort Cloud. There are other hypotheses which could also explain their behaviours/origins.

Predicting a Jupiter sized planet, on the basis of it perturbing hypothetical objects which may constitute a hypothetical 'cloud', would seem to fall into a highly speculative category.

Whilst the Oort Cloud is a reasonable hypothesis, it seems reminiscent to me, of the hypothesised "Great Southern Continent", which required Captain James Cook having to spend large chunks of his life disproving. A lot of good discoveries came our way as a result however, and lives were lost.

Cook was quite vocal in expressing the frustration he felt at having to disprove a hypothesis … he also spent a lot of time having to disprove the north-west passage.

Food for thought …

Cheers
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