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In 2016, astronomers from the University of California, in an article published in the Astronomical Journal, theorized the existence of a still unknown planet in the far reaches of the solar system. The article based its hypothesis on the anomalies that Kuiper belt objects exhibited in their orbits around the sun.
Astronomers have said that the existence of a still unknown planet is the perfect explanation for the unusual clustering of icy asteroids and comets around the Kuiper Belt. Believed to be six times the mass of Earth, the announcement caused enormous controversy.
Despite this, the search for “Planet 9” continued. Oddly enough, astronomer Michael Brown, who is largely responsible for the demotion of Pluto – the ancient “ninth” planet in the solar system – to a dwarf planet, has now published another study narrowing the area in which the mysterious planet could hide.
In a study published in partnership with astrophysicist Konstantin Batygin, Brown refuted claims by some astronomers that the anomalies observed in objects around the Kuiper could be statistical fluke.
According to the study, where Brown re-examined the original evidence published in 2016, the chances of the anomalies being fluke due to “observation bias” are less than 0.5%. The study also included a “treasure map”, with the help of which astronomers could find the best places to search the planet.
The study also found that Planet 9 could be closer to the sun than the original proposed study, so the closer orbit means the planet would be much brighter and much easier to see.
If the planet existed, according to Brown, it would more likely be a cold gas giant similar to Neptune, and would be about six to ten times the mass of Earth.
Cover photo: Shutterstock
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