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On the campus of the California Institute of Technology, a group of experts led by astronomer Mike Brown is puzzling over some strange data from outer space that they can't explain. BROWN: A few years ago, a colleague of mine and I, Konstantin Batygin, he and I were looking at the orbits of the most distant objects in our solar system.
This vast collection of objects is very much like the asteroid belt, but just an icier version further away. They're out in the same region where Pluto is, well past Neptune. And we realized that the ones that go the furthest away from the sun all have their orbits pointing off in one direction. These guys all go off far away, and it shouldn't be that way.
The Search for Planet Nine: A Revolutionary Discovery in Our Solar System
Unless something is pulling them with gravity, it shouldn't happen. So, Konstantin and I tried to figure out what was going on, and we made jokes to each other that, like, "Well, it could be a planet, but that's dumb. "We know it's not a planet, "because we know there are no other planets in our solar system." SHATNER: The idea that there's an undiscovered planet in our solar system that could potentially be a place where life has formed, sounds too incredible to believe. But on the other hand, Mike Brown still couldn't figure out why objects in space were being pulled in a strange direction.
BROWN: We spent about two years trying to figure out what else could be causing these things to be pulled off in this direction, and we couldn't figure out what it could be. We realized, "Actually, this planet just is the only thing that actually makes sense." We started doing calculations, and simulations. We realized, actually, if you put a planet out here that's pulling these things way, it not only explains these objects, but it explains half a dozen other things that have been happening in the solar system.
So, I am really quite convinced that there is a giant planet still to be found out there at the edge of the solar system. SHATNER: In February of 2019, Mike and his colleagues published a groundbreaking paper in which they proposed that there could be an unseen planet hiding in our solar system, which they have dubbed Planet Nine. Their intriguing theory made headlines because, for hundreds of years, humanity has believed that there were only eight planets in the solar system, not including Pluto, which is considered a smaller "dwarf planet." So, how could there be an undiscovered planet in our corner of the universe that we're only now finding out about? Right now, we think, based on our computer simulations, that Planet Nine is about seven times more massive than the Earth. And it's 600 times further than the Earth is from the Sun.
The Elusive Planet Nine: Could It Harbor Life?
And so it's way out there. FRANK: Planet Nine, if it exists, it's so far away, out there in the deep, deep dark, that it's just very difficult to detect. You are so far out in the solar system when you get to these kinds of distances, that the sun is barely distinguishable. There's just not a lot of light out there. But really, it's exciting, because, even though we can't see the planet, it's just almost impossible not to wonder what is happening out there.
SHATNER: If scientists can prove that there is, in fact, a planet hiding in the darkness of our solar system, it would raise an even more pressing question. Could there actually be life on this mystery planet? BROWN: Planet Nine is a really important place to look for life. Right now, scientists are very strongly focused on figuring out whether there's just single-celled microbial life on Planet Nine.
Here is the interesting thing about Planet Nine when it comes to life. It's possible that if Planet Nine existed, it was much closer to the solar system earlier on. And if it had a rocky surface, and if it was in the places where liquid water could exist, then maybe it did form microbial life. And then maybe, somehow, it got kicked out farther out from there.
BROWN: One of the things that we don't know about Planet Nine is why do we have this planet so far away? I think the most likely hypothesis is that, as it was going around the sun, it got too close. And as you get too close, you get a, basically, a gravitational slingshot, and you go whizzing out to the outer part of the solar system. And it's been out there basically lurking around, waiting for us to find it ever since then.
| Section | Details |
|---|---|
| Setting | California Institute of Technology campus |
| Experts Involved | Led by astronomer Mike Brown |
| Initial Observation | Mike Brown and colleague Konstantin Batygin examined the orbits of the most distant objects in the solar system, noticing that these objects' orbits pointed in one direction, which shouldn't happen unless influenced by a gravitational pull. |
| Hypothesis Development | Despite initially joking about a new planet, they couldn't find any other explanation for the gravitational anomalies. They concluded that a planet could explain these observations and several other phenomena in the solar system. |
| Planet Nine Theory | Brown and his team proposed the existence of Planet Nine, a giant unseen planet at the edge of the solar system, in February 2019. This planet is theorized to be about seven times more massive than Earth and 600 times further from the Sun. |
| Challenges in Detection | The vast distance and minimal sunlight make Planet Nine difficult to detect. |
| Significance of Discovery | If proven, the discovery of Planet Nine would challenge the long-held belief that there are only eight planets in the solar system. |
| Potential for Life | Scientists are exploring the possibility of microbial life on Planet Nine. If the planet was once closer to the Sun, it could have had conditions suitable for life before being ejected to its current distant orbit. |
| Current Understanding | The hypothesis suggests that Planet Nine might have been gravitationally slingshot to the outer solar system, where it has remained undetected until now. |
| Implications | Discovery of Planet Nine would not only reshape our understanding of the solar system's structure but also ignite questions about the potential for life on this distant planet. |
| Excitement in Astronomy | Despite the challenges in proving its existence, the idea of Planet Nine captivates scientists and ignites curiosity about the outer reaches of our solar system. |
FAQS About Planet Nine
1. Who is investigating the potential existence of Planet Nine?
A team led by astronomer Mike Brown at the California Institute of Technology is investigating the existence of Planet Nine.
2. What prompted the search for Planet Nine?
Brown and his colleague Konstantin Batygin noticed that the most distant objects in our solar system had orbits that were all pointing in one direction, which suggested the influence of a gravitational force from an unseen object.
3. What is Planet Nine?
Planet Nine is a hypothetical planet proposed to exist in the outer regions of our solar system. It is thought to be about seven times more massive than Earth and 600 times further from the Sun than Earth.
4. Why do scientists believe in the existence of Planet Nine?
The orbits of distant objects in the solar system are pulled in a direction that can only be explained by the presence of a massive object. Planet Nine is the best explanation for these gravitational effects.
5. How was the theory of Planet Nine received by the scientific community?
The theory made headlines when it was published in February 2019. While humanity has believed there were only eight planets in the solar system, the evidence presented by Brown and his colleagues has been compelling.
6. Why is Planet Nine difficult to detect?
Planet Nine is extremely far from the Sun, making it very faint and hard to observe with current telescopes. The sunlight it receives is minimal, making it nearly indistinguishable in the deep darkness of space.
7. Could there be life on Planet Nine?
While scientists are currently focused on whether microbial life could exist on Planet Nine, it's hypothesized that if Planet Nine had a rocky surface and was once closer to the Sun, it might have had conditions suitable for life.
8. How could Planet Nine have ended up so far from the Sun?
One hypothesis is that Planet Nine was once much closer to the Sun. It may have experienced a gravitational slingshot effect, where it got too close to a massive planet and was ejected to the outer part of the solar system.
9. What would confirming the existence of Planet Nine mean for our understanding of the solar system?
Confirming Planet Nine would challenge the current understanding of the solar system's structure, potentially adding a ninth planet and raising questions about the formation and evolution of planetary bodies in our solar system.
10. What are the next steps for scientists in the search for Planet Nine?
Scientists will continue to refine their computer simulations and conduct observational searches using powerful telescopes to try to detect Planet Nine directly. The search is ongoing and highly anticipated within the astronomical community.