Planet 9 news

Planet 9! There have been many exciting developments and updates about this hypothetical planet in recent years. Here are some of the latest news and findings:

Recent discoveries:

  1. New evidence for Planet 9's existence: In 2020, a team of astronomers from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) announced that they had found new evidence supporting the existence of Planet 9. They analyzed the orbits of extreme trans-Neptunian objects (ETNOs) and found that their orbits were more stable than expected, suggesting that a massive planet like Planet 9 was influencing their movements.
  2. Planet 9's possible size and mass: Researchers have been trying to estimate the size and mass of Planet 9 based on its gravitational effects on the ETNOs. A study published in 2020 suggested that Planet 9 could be as large as 3-4 times the size of Earth and have a mass between 10-20 times that of Earth.
  3. Planet 9's possible orbit: Astronomers have been trying to determine the orbit of Planet 9, which is thought to be highly elliptical and takes around 10,000-20,000 years to complete. A study published in 2020 suggested that Planet 9 could be in a retrograde orbit, meaning it moves around the Sun in the opposite direction to the other planets.

Upcoming missions and searches:

  1. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST): The LSST, set to launch in 2023, will be a powerful telescope that will be able to detect faint objects like Planet 9. Astronomers hope that the LSST will be able to detect the planet's reflected light or its gravitational effects on nearby objects.
  2. The Square Kilometre Array (SKA): The SKA, a next-generation radio telescope, will be able to detect the faint signals emitted by Planet 9. The SKA is expected to be completed in the mid-2020s.
  3. The NASA's Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST): WFIRST, set to launch in the mid-2020s, will be able to detect the faint infrared light emitted by Planet 9. Astronomers hope that WFIRST will be able to detect the planet's heat signature or its reflected light.

The search for Planet 9:

The search for Planet 9 is an ongoing effort, with astronomers using a variety of methods to detect the planet. Some of the methods include:

  1. Gravitational lensing: Astronomers are looking for signs of gravitational lensing, where the light from distant stars is bent by the gravitational field of Planet 9.
  2. Microlensing: Astronomers are also looking for signs of microlensing, where the light from distant stars is magnified by the gravitational field of Planet 9.
  3. Direct imaging: Astronomers are using powerful telescopes and cameras to directly image the sky and search for signs of Planet 9's reflected light.

These are just a few of the latest developments and updates about Planet 9. The search for this hypothetical planet continues, and astronomers are hopeful that future missions and surveys will be able to detect it.