Astronomers have found new evidence that may confirm the existence of a ninth planet in our solar system. The object, nicknamed “Planet Nine,” is believed to be similar in size to Neptune and orbits the sun every 10,000 to 20,000 years. Researchers used data from two deep infrared surveys taken 23 years apart to measure its orbital motion.
The findings are based on the comparison of objects observed by the Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) in 1983 with those observed by Japan’s AKARI satellite between 2006 and 2011. The resulting movements suggest that Planet Nine may be advancing further in its orbit around the sun.
The existence of a ninth planet is supported by unusual activity within the Kuiper Belt, an icy region beyond Neptune where several objects have elliptical orbits pointing in the same direction. This clustering could be caused by gravitational pull from a nearby planet.
Additionally, the object reflects very little sunlight, increasing the likelihood that it’s a planet rather than just a dwarf planet or asteroid. However, further observations are needed to determine its full orbit, and more data is required to confirm the discovery.
This potential new planet would be a significant addition to our understanding of the solar system, and researchers are eager to gather more evidence to support their claims.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/milky-9-planets-after-astronomers-confirmed-existence/story?id=121395588