For nearly a decade, astronomers have been diligently searching for a ninth planet residing in our planetary system. However, a recent analysis implies the existence of another concealed celestial body awaiting discovery.(Image credit: Shutterstock)
Astronomers suggest they have detected clues pointing to a previously unrecognized ninth planet concealed in the not-so-distant areas of our solar system. This supposed world, called “Planet Y,” might be around the dimensions of Earth and potentially co-exist alongside another well-known Planet Nine hopeful — possibly elevating the count of planets in our local cosmos to 10, assuming both are validated.
Nonetheless, despite declarations from scientists indicating that this newly proposed world might be pinpointed within three years, there is no solid evidence of its reality, and some specialists express doubt about the fresh conclusions.
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This speculated world, also identified as Planet X, presumably hides away somewhere inside the Kuiper Belt — a massive ring composed of asteroids, comets, and dwarf planets (including Pluto) that revolve around the sun beyond the eight acknowledged planets — but thus far, it has escaped identification.
Currently, in a piece released on Aug. 21 in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, another collection of scientists asserts they’ve discovered proof of a completely novel Planet Nine (P9) contender, which they’ve named Planet Y. This theoretical entity, which would likewise be situated within the Kuiper Belt, could potentially be approximately twice as close to Earth when compared to Planet X — and it might even have a size more akin to that of our own world. The researchers suggest that its probable presence doesn’t negate the Planet X proposition.
The group arrived at this conclusion after scrutinizing the routes of 50 Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs), finding that they were angled by about 15 degrees relative to the remaining planets within the solar system. They contended that only a concealed world could justify this slant.
“We embarked on a journey to identify explanations besides a planet that could account for the angle, but our results indicated that a planet is essential,” stated Amir Siraj, Princeton University astrophysicist and primary author of the research, in a recent discussion with CNN. “This document isn’t about uncovering a planet,” he clarified. “Yet, it undoubtedly presents a conundrum for which a planet offers a plausible resolution.”
The Planet Y concept surfaced once scientists discerned an unusual angle affecting roughly 50 celestial objects situated within the Kuiper Belt, beyond Neptune’s orbit.
According to the team’s estimations, Planet Y is likely to be a rocky sphere sporting a mass falling between that of Mercury and Earth. This dimension is noticeably more diminutive compared to the speculated size of Planet X, which is believed to be a gas giant, potentially up to 10 times more sizable than Earth.
The researchers also hypothesize that Planet Y is situated anywhere from 100 to 200 times farther from the sun than Earth. This isn’t exceedingly far past Neptune’s path, which orbits the sun at 30 times the distance between Earth and the sun, placing it significantly nearer to us than Planet X, thought to reside at a distance of at least 400 times the Earth-sun span. (At these spans, both planets would only reflect small fractions of light back to Earth, rendering them challenging to observe directly.)
The researchers also mentioned that, should Planet Y exist, it would also display a tilt of about 10 degrees relative to the orbital plane shared across the eight recognized planets, a detail that could contribute to its obscurity.
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However, opinions are divided regarding the novel proposition.
Samantha Lawler, a University of Regina astronomer in Saskatchewan, a detractor of the Planet X idea, conveyed to CNN that these results were “not conclusive,” largely owing to the limited quantity of KBOs considered in the study. Patryk Sofia Lykawka, a Kindai University astronomer from Japan who specializes in KBOs, further added that Planet Y seemed “believable,” yet demands additional observation before its possibility can be deemed credible.
To definitively authenticate the presence of either Planet Y or Planet X, researchers would have to rely on fortuitous occurrences like directly sighting these elusive worlds or discovering considerably more KBOs aligning with the discovered patterns.
Scientists anticipate the newly active Vera C. Rubin observatory could play a pivotal role in spotting Planet Y or Planet X within the ensuing years.
This expedition might not require a lengthy period, largely owing to the recent activation of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory stationed in Chile, which has started scanning the night sky utilizing the world’s largest digital camera. Numerous specialists surmise this surveillance will uncover thousands more KBOs soon, possibly offering the necessary information to reinforce these hypotheses.
“I anticipate things will be defined in the initial two to three years [of the observatory’s function],” expressed Siraj. “Assuming Planet Y resides within the telescope’s view, it will be directly detectable.”
However, equally, should scientists fail to detect the anticipated entity throughout this period, the theories could potentially be abandoned for good.
Other Planet Nine candidates
Planet Y stands as just one prospective alternative to the P9 which has appeared in recent times. Multiple alternative potential celestial bodies have been brought forward, but almost all have been largely disregarded.
In May, researchers discerned a feeble infrared speck, which they conjectured could be a ninth planet. Yet, the claim was quickly refuted given that whichever object was accountable for the sighting would have to revolve around the sun in a plane perpendicular with the other planets, which is deemed immensely unlikely.
There also exists the prospect that an array of rogue planets — entities cast out of distant star systems and subsequently ensnared by the sun’s gravitational grip — could be concealed even farther from our native star. In 2023, computations from Siraj showed there could exist space for up to five Earth-sized, rocky planets to be hidden within the distant expanses of our solar system.
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Certain astronomers have also suggested different clarifications for Planet X, including suggestions that gravitational anomalies could be stemming from a miniature black hole, or may simply be the outcome of different gravitational dynamics yet to be completely understood. Alternative viewpoints claim that the sought-after world is smaller than previously believed, instead being orbited by numerous moons.
Conversely, some experts argue that recent finding of several potential dwarf planet candidates within the Kuiper Belt — like the announcements of 2017 OF201 and 2023 KQ14 occurring in May and July, respectively — make the likelihood of Planet X’s existence lower because these bodies aren’t behaving as expected.
For now, one factor remains certain: Our comprehension of our cosmic backyard is far from comprehensive.
Harry BakerSocial Links NavigationSenior Staff Writer
Harry is a senior staff writer for Live Science, situated in the U.K. He studied the ocean and marine life at the University of Exeter before pursuing a career in journalism. He writes on a diverse assortment of subjects including space exploration, planetary studies, space climatology, the changing climate, animal habits and the science of paleontology. His more recent investigations into the maximum solar activity phase won “best space submission” at the 2024 Aerospace Media Awards and reached the short list in the “top scoop” category at the NCTJ Awards for Excellence in 2023. He is also the writer for Live Science’s recurring Earth from space collection.
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‘The most significant JWST finding to date’: James Webb spots — then loses — a giant planet orbiting in the habitable zone of our closest sun-like star
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