Astronomers searching for a mysterious planet dubbed “Planet Nine” have made an unexpected discovery that could challenge their theory. A team of researchers led by Sihao Cheng from New Jersey’s Institute for Advanced Study has identified a new dwarf planet, named 2017 OF201, in the solar system’s outer reaches.
The newly discovered object is roughly 430 miles across and takes a highly elongated orbit, swinging out more than 1,600 times the distance between Earth and the Sun. Its distant location means it can only be observed around 0.5 percent of the time, making it extremely difficult to study.
While the discovery suggests that there may be many hundreds of similar objects on similar orbits in the Kuiper Belt beyond Neptune, it also poses a problem for the Planet Nine theory. The researchers’ modeling of its orbit showed that it does not follow the clustered trend of similar objects, which was initially proposed by astronomers as evidence for Planet Nine.
However, lead study author Cheng emphasizes that more data is needed to confirm or rule out the existence of Planet Nine. He hopes that future observations from the Vera Rubin Observatory will provide more insight into this mystery.
The discovery highlights the power of open science and the potential for groundbreaking discoveries made possible by sharing scientific resources. The object’s unique orbit suggests that it could have passed by stars other than our Sun in the past, taking its discovery to the edge of what is currently understood about the solar system.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/planet-nine-search-twist-new-dwarf-planet-astronomers