The Oort cloud \ / ˈɔrt \ / ( named after the Dutch astronomer Jan Oort ) , or Öpik-Oort cloud , is a hypothesized spherical cloud of predominantly icy planetesimals that may lie roughly 50,000 AU , or nearly a light-year , from the Sun .
The Oort cloud may lie about 50,000 AU , or nearly a light-year , from the Sun .