Trillions o mile oot it is threapit that oor hail Sun Gird micht be happit in a stour o ice an rocks that’s like a muckle cosmic poke. Cryed efter the Dutch astrologue Jan Oort (1900-1992), this wappin body o materials taks us intae the regions atween starns. It haes lang been suggestit that whan the early Sun Gird wis born the planets hereawa flung mony rocks ootwards aboot 4.6 billion year syne. But this region can be a deidly ane. It is thocht that lang-bidin comets haes thair oreeginal in the Oort Clood an that ‘tides’ lippin agin the clood throu the shiftin o the Milky Wey as it birls roond micht gie the necessar push tae Oort Clood objects. Ower millions o year bodies micht faw inwards taewards oor Sun Gird, gae ben the gaits that the planets taks, an syne bairge intae warlds in thair road, the Yird comprehendit.

This distrublance is like a gemm o cosmic roulette. But tae date scientific speirars canna yet gree on whither this picture o the Oort Clood is richt.