Is Planet Nine Real? New Study Suggests It Could Be Something Else Entirely

For long, astronomers have hinted at the possibility of Planet Nine, a hypothetical planet located beyond Pluto. So far, all efforts to pin down the planet have been in vain. Space is normally tricky terrain, but the farther we go from our Sun, the stranger it gets.

ESO

What could Planet Nine be?

Nobody has seen Planet Nine yet so it's possible that it simply doesn't exist. In addition, it could be a swarm of rocks instead of a single planet. According to new research conducted by physicists Katherine Brown of Hamilton College and Harsh Mathur of Case Western Reserve University, Planet Nine could be something else entirely.

What many have seen as the evidence of another planet might just be a sign that something is missing from our current model of gravity, within our understanding of general relativity.

What does the new study say?

The recent study says that small abnormalities in the orbits of many objects that are attributed to a hidden planet are also consistent with a different kind of gravitational model called Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND).

Newton's laws aren't perfect and many flaws in Newton's law of universal gravitation were fixed by Einstein's theory of general relativity. Even then, MOND proposes that other gravitation effects come into play when Newtonian gravitation acceleration drops below a certain level, Science Alert explained.

NASA

Also read: Unveiling Earth's Inner Core: Study Reveals Complex 'Planet Within A Planet' Structure

MOND may be helpful in understanding the gravitational behaviour of galaxies that don't seem to be tied to normal matter, but it hasn't been studied on smaller scales. "MOND is really good at explaining galactic-scale observations," Mathur said. "I hadn't expected that it would have noticeable effects on the outer Solar System."

Is there proof of Planet Nine?

Based on strange orbital clustering in the outer Solar System, scientists think that Planet Nine could be real. Some small icy rocks found in this region are clumped together in orbits, suggesting that they might be under the gravitational influence of a large planet.

Also read: Evidence Of Two Planets Sharing The Same Orbit Found For The First Time

NASA

According to MOND theory and the new study's results, some objects in the outer solar system may be forced into alignment with the gravitational field of the Milky Way galaxy over time.

The study, highlighting these findings, was published in The Astronomical Journal. What do you think about the existence of Planet Nine? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.