The universe is immense and limitless. No matter how much understanding you have about cosmos, there is more knowledge to acquire every day. The universe works with such a harmonious totality and wholeness that is incomparable to any other existing force. There are many planetary systems in the universe; ours is called the Solar System. It involves eight planets with diverse characteristics revolving around the Sun. Accompanying this are millions of asteroids, comets, meteors, and moons. Beyond our solar system, there is also the Milky Way, which contains thousands of planetary systems orbiting other stars.
As astronomers continue to explore the infinite and supreme outer space,thelatest discovery states that there can be a ninth planet in the solar system. Many astronomers say that theoretically, computer simulations show signs of a foreign object orbiting far out from the Sun. Upon initial discovery, it was called ”2015 TG387,” but new researches that are supporting the idea of this new planet named it “Planet X” or “Planet 9”.
Here is all the information you need to know about Planet X. Discussing from its initial discovery to all the hypothetical theories and what it actually is.
Extensively
This is an exact story that starts with 2015 TG387, which was first discovered using the Subaru telescope in a Japanese observatory in Hawaii by astronomers from the Carnegie Institute of Science. This team spotted it and started their research on it. It leads to this really enticing orbit, which was part of distant objects in our solar system. But further investigation revealed that there could be at least 14 more distant objects like these having a similar orbit pattern. But they have minor similarities which can limit where the planet is actually present.
After the researchers began to find stronger lines and shreds of evidence to find if this planet actually existed or not, astronomers kept on searching far and wide to narrow down points leading them closer to the named Planet X.
Between these researches, an object called VP113 was discovered, which was claimed to be the most distant object orbiting the Sun as well as a far-off dwarf planet called Sedna. These objects were all reported to have the same clustering and fit the same orbit pattern.
Then, California Institute of Technology (Caltech) researchers and astronomers, Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown, during January 2015 proposed new research that provided calculated mathematical evidence evincing a new planet in the solar system. Batgyin and Brown started their research with objects clustering in orbits far ahead Neptune to answer all inevitable doubts.
Hypothetically speaking, it is a giant planet around the size of Neptune, which traces an unusually elongated orbit that goes far beyond Pluto around the Sun. Going far beyond Pluto means that it could even be a second-earth, just bigger compared to the usual or even a second-space. This hypothesis is based on modeling from limited observations, detailed analysis of orbits, and months’ worth of computer stimulations only, and no one has directly observed this planet yet. At this point, it might actually be a new planet or even dwarf planets combined with smaller objects, emitting radiations in a distant belt.
Planets are usually named after the mythological Roman gods or people who discover them. Batgyin and Brown named this predicted entity “Planet Nine.” But since it remained undiscovered after many years of research, it is now called the “Planet X.”
Some details about Planet X,
- It is said that Planet X has a mass ten times greater as compared to the mass of Earth.
- It may be similar to the size of Neptune or Uranus.
- It orbits farther away from the Sun than Neptune.
- If discovered, it would take somewhere between 10,000 to 20,000 years to complete one full orbit.
Many cloud objects, so-called Inner Oort Cloud, such as 2015 TG387, VP113, and Sedna, are clusters formed from the Solar Systems mass. What makes the hypothetical presence of Planet X credible is that the distant belt near Neptune, which is known as the Kuiper Belt, is a mixture of dwarf planets amalgamated with icy objects that tend to follow and create their own elongated orbits as well. These unusual orbits and their activity are still unexplainable, which makes them immensely interesting. This increases the likelihood of a planet existing beyond Pluto as it might give off computer stimulations suggesting its presence. This helps us locate what is happening at one edge of the solar system.
It should be kept in mind that Planet X has not yet been discovered, and we only see the tip of the iceberg here. It remains a sought-after debate among astronomers and scientists to date. Being quite far from the Sun makes it harder to locate and detect such objects anyway.
Every astronomer in the world is using powerful telescopes like Subaru Telescope and Discovery Channel Telescope and satellites to target this body in the predicted site. Scientists have said that it might be possible to locate it using a telescope, which makes it hard to believe for some. However, many people were inspired around the world and started searches and brainstorming on Planet X, but most of them resulted in nothing – either they were too far-fetched or completely ridiculous.
Scientific theories have been released stating alternate explanations to this data. It was also said that this planet was previously knocked out from the Sun’s orbit, slowed down by gas. Then it settled into a distant orbit forming the Kuiper Belt. But none of them had enough evidence to back it up.This is why these objects are completely detached from the planets. An abundant amount of evidence is necessary to verify the existence of Planet X.
We might have to wait and see for any official announcements concerning the existence or independent confirmation of Planet X or a stand-in theory declining the presence. If Planet X is discovered, astronomers will have to explain more about its existence, but that would take decades. With this, the hunt continues, and many are hopeful.
Final Verdict
After many theories, Planet X remains unseen and hypothetical. In conclusion, it might be some object bigger than Neptune and very far away from the Sun. It orbits the Sun in elongated circles, making it take almost 15,000 years to complete one round. It can also not be a planet and instead be a part of the Kuiper Belt, which is a region of the solar system existing beyond planets.
Many astronomers have come up with more hypothetical and alternate explanations. But most of them do not come close to proving its existence until it is seen and observed through a telescope. Batgyin and Browns hypothesis is the best and seems like a true theory out there explaining Planet X. This might not only indicate the existence of a new planet out in the solar system but can also lead to evidence proving something bigger is governing the orbits, which make it nowhere near a done deal. The world of science and astronomy is always open to more research and discovery, and things like Planet X are those that keep redefining the edge of our solar system.