Scientists Find Strong Clues Of 'Ninth Planet' In Our Solar System, Not Pluto

The ninth planet has remained a troubling subject for scientists and regular Earthlings alike.

When Pluto was stripped of its planethood and declared a "dwarf planet" in August 2006, nobody expected a replacement to appear in 15 years. But scientists have found preliminary evidence of a ninth planet in our solar system.

Reuters

Are we nearing the discovery of "Planet 9"?

The initial theories about "Planet 9" were based on its alleged gravitational pull on nearby objects. But no proof of the planet itself was found. Now, a fresh estimate posits that the so-called ninth planet in our solar system is closer and more observable than previously thought.

Earlier, it was estimated that "Planet 9" completes a single orbit around the Sun in 18,500 years. The new research lowers the estimate to 7,400 years, suggesting it may be much closer to the Sun and Earth than believed.

Also read: Sun-Like Stars Eat Their Earth-Like Planets Frequently, Say Scientists

The new research was conducted by California Institute of Technology's Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin. It has been approved for publishing in the Astronomical Journal. In conversation with NatGeo, Brown claimed that "Planet 9" is only a couple of years away from being discovered.

Reuters

Based on gravitational assessments, the scientists found that the planet may be six times bigger than Earth - but it's hard to pinpoint whether the planet is rocky like our own or a mix of heavy dense gases like Neptune.

What a new world in our solar system means

If real, the planet would change our understanding of the solar system - reversing the number of planets to the original count of nine, but without Pluto. Neptune was the last planet to be added to our solarr system's roster in 1846 when it was discovered due to the gravitational influence on Uranus.

AFP

Gravitational pull has helped scientists find an array of space objects - from giant stars like the Sun to planets like Earth orbiting around it. Black holes are also assessed by how strong gravity is around them. Not everyone is convinced though. It's entirely possible that the gravitational footprints are just remnants of gravity lingering in space.

Also read: Scientists Say There¡¯s Only One Earth-Like Planet In Our Galaxy

Regardless, the scientists have created a "treasure map" to aid the search of "Planet 9".

According to them, the planet has been able to hide behind bright objects in the Milky Way's populated region. And the study claims that there is a 99.6 per cent chance that the orbital pathway of icy objects beyond Neptune are a product of "Planet 9" instead of being pure chance.

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