Astronomers have discovered an object orbiting the sun far beyond Pluto, raising questions about the existence of a possible “Planet Nine” in our solar system.
The newly found object, designated 2023 KQ14 and nicknamed “Ammonite,” was detected using Subaru Telescope in Hawaii. According to its highly eccentric orbit, Ammonite is not a planet but a sednoid, a type of object beyond Neptune’s orbit with a unique path that takes it close to the sun and far away.
Sedna, another distant solar system object, serves as a comparison for Ammonite’s orbit, which ranges from 66 au (astronomical units) at its closest point to 252 au at its farthest. This is different from Sedna’s orbit, which spans from about 76 au to 900 au.
The recent discovery of a possible “Planet Nine” has garnered attention among astronomers. While some scientists suggest that the object might be a ninth planet in our solar system, others argue against this theory due to Ammonite’s unique orbit. The fact that Ammonite’s current path does not align with other known sednoids lowers the likelihood of Planet Nine existing.
However, some researchers believe that a planet may have existed in the past but was later ejected from the Solar System, resulting in unusual orbits like those of Sedna and potentially Ammonite. If Planet Nine indeed exists, it is likely to be located even farther away from the sun than previously thought.
The object was discovered as part of the FOSSIL survey project, which aims to study the formation of our outer solar system. Its discovery provides new insights into the mysterious objects beyond Neptune’s orbit and raises questions about the history of our Solar System.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2025/07/15/meet-ammonite—a-new-world-just-found-in-the-solar-system