Have We Found Planet 9?

TL;DR

New evidence suggests that Planet Nine, a large planet potentially located in the outer solar system, may have been spotted in data collected by the IRAS satellite in 1983.

Transcript

One of the more odd possibilities of our solar system is the idea that we may not know about all of the planets that exist within it. Once you get past a certain distance it basically becomes a matter of luck to catch objects moving across the sky that are exceedingly dim. But there are some mysteries of the outer solar system that seem to hint tha... Read More

Key Insights

• 🦸 Exoplanet studies reveal the prevalence of super Earths in the galaxy, which makes the absence of such a planet in our solar system intriguing.
• 🪐 Clues like the Kuiper cliff and perturbed objects suggest the existence of a large planet in the outer solar system.
• 🤩 If Planet Nine exists, it could offer a unique opportunity to study a planet from another star system without leaving our own.
• 🥺 Technological advancements have made the search for Planet Nine more feasible, and upcoming survey telescopes might lead to its discovery.
• 🛰️ The IRAS satellite data from 1983 provides a potential candidate for Planet Nine, but confirmation is still required.
• 😶‍🌫️ Challenges in detecting Planet Nine include the noise caused by galactic dust clouds and the presence of other infrared sources in the galactic plane.
• 🦻 Future telescopes, such as the LSST/Vera Rubin observatory and the James Webb Space Telescope, could aid in the search for Planet Nine.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the reason behind the belief in the existence of undiscovered planets in our solar system?

The peculiarities of our solar system, the absence of a super Earth, and anomalies in the outer solar system, such as the Kuiper cliff, suggest that there might be undiscovered planets.

Q: What is the main piece of evidence that supports the existence of Planet Nine?

The main evidence comes from perturbed objects in the outer solar system that strongly suggest the presence of a large planet, possibly located in a very distant orbit.

Q: How could Planet Nine have originated?

One theory suggests that Planet Nine may be a core of a giant planet that was ejected from the solar system by Jupiter. Other possibilities include a captured rogue planet or a migrating super Earth.

Q: How difficult is it to find Planet Nine?

Finding Planet Nine is challenging due to its dimness, long orbital period, and unpredictable location. However, advancements in technology, computer analysis, and past astronomical surveys have made the search easier.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Our solar system may contain undiscovered planets, as there are mysteries in the outer solar system that hint at their existence.

• The presence of large planets called "super Earths" is common in the galaxy, but our solar system lacks one. Planet Nine might be a missing super Earth that migrated to the outer solar system.

• Clues like the Kuiper cliff and perturbed objects indicate the existence of a large planet in the outer solar system, referred to as planet nine. Its nature and origin remain unknown.