<p>So to refer to objects beyond Neptune you use 'trans-Neptunian objects'. It really sounds simple, there are several sub-sets of trans-Neptunian objects: referring to minor-planets (neither Planets nor comets) that exist in this region of the Solar System.  </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-10T15:33:48.590Z
2015-02-10T15:33:48.590Z
GCien
<p>Yes there is a difference, Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) are a subset of Trans Neptunian Objects (TNOs). Other subsets are Oort-cloud objects (OCOs) and scattered disk objects (SDOs). These are not KBOs but they are TNOs. See for instance this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Neptunian_object#Distribution_and_classification" rel="noreferrer">wikipedia page</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-09T09:07:19.473Z
2015-02-09T09:07:19.473Z
Dieudonné
<p>It seems to me that nowadays the more proper term is "Trans-Neptunian Object".  Is there any difference between Kuiper Belt Objects and Trans-Neptunian Objects?  If not, is one term preferred over the other?</p>

<solar-system><kuiper-belt><trans-neptunian-object>
Is it proper to refer to objects beyond Neptune as "Kuiper Belt Objects?"
NeutronStar
# Is it proper to refer to objects beyond Neptune as "Kuiper Belt Objects?"

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-02-09)

It seems to me that nowadays the more proper term is "Trans-Neptunian Object". Is there any difference between Kuiper Belt Objects and Trans-Neptunian Objects? If not, is one term preferred over the other?

**Tags:** solar-system, kuiper-belt, trans-neptunian-object


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-02-09. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

Yes there is a difference, Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) are a subset of Trans Neptunian Objects (TNOs). Other subsets are Oort-cloud objects (OCOs) and scattered disk objects (SDOs). These are not KBOs but they are TNOs. See for instance this [wikipedia page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Neptunian_object#Distribution_and_classification).


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### Answer by username_1 on 2015-02-10. Score: 0

So to refer to objects beyond Neptune you use 'trans-Neptunian objects'. It really sounds simple, there are several sub-sets of trans-Neptunian objects: referring to minor-planets (neither Planets nor comets) that exist in this region of the Solar System.


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