Planet 9 possibly discovered?

telcodad

Has the the long elusive Planet Nine finally been spotted?

[ Yeah, I know, Pluto was “planet 9” for the longest time until “demoted” to a “dwarf” planet back in 2006. ]

Evidence of controversial Planet 9 uncovered in sky surveys taken 23 years apart
If the object really is Planet Nine, it would be larger than Neptune and exist 700 times further from the sun than Earth.
By Keith Cooper, Space.com - May 1, 2025
https://www.space.com/astronomy/solar-system/evidence-of-controversial-planet-9-uncovered-in-sky-surveys-taken-23-years-apart

Somewhat-Reticent

Wikipedia lists several alternative hypotheses as well.

Astyanax

telcodad If the object really is Planet Nine, it would be larger than Neptune and exist 700 times further from the sun than Earth.

To put it in better perspective, Neptune is just under 3 billion miles from the sun and this thing is currently 65 billion. Voyager 2 is traveling at around 35K mph and is only about 20 billion miles out and it’s taken nearly half a century to get that far.

px_eliezer_

If it is 65 billion miles (105 billion kilometers) from the sun, it’s a stretch to say that it is part of our solar system.

Jennifer Coolidge, the actress who is also in those annoying Discover Card commercials, is a an eighth cousin twice removed from President Calvin Coolidge, but that does NOT mean they have anything in common.

Quite the opposite in fact, Calvin talked very little, Jennifer talks all the time.

MacLeech

px_eliezer_ By definition if it orbits the sun, it’s part of the SOLAR system.

The Oort Cloud is further out, with the far edge an estimated 1-2 light years from the sun.
https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/oort-cloud/facts/

Sparkchaser

A little more perspective, https://www.livescience.com/space/planets/astronomers-identify-first-good-candidate-for-controversial-planet-nine-deep-in-our-solar-system

px_eliezer_

MacLeech By definition if it orbits the sun, it’s part of the SOLAR system.

Understood but all these human definitions are arbitrary.

Which is why Pluto was de-planeted.

MacLeech

px_eliezer_ Pluto was “deplaneted” because of the discovery of Eris.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eris_(dwarf_planet)
It was very similar in size to Pluto and further out. It caused a discussion of what really makes a planet and why Ceres also wasn’t considered a planet. The IAU came up with a formal definition of Planet shortly after.

InternetJeff

Astronomers better get busy!
😁

Astyanax

MacLeech

MacLeech Pluto was “deplaneted” because of the discovery of Eris.

It was very similar in size to Pluto and further out. It caused a discussion of what really makes a planet and why Ceres also wasn’t considered a planet. The IAU came up with a formal definition of Planet shortly after.

I always said they should have “grandfathered” in Pluto as a planet regardless of the other “dwarf planet” discoveries. It’s been one since the ’40s. That much time should mean something.

Somewhat-Reticent

Astyanax Looks good on its resume ? ( Better than “Death Star” … )

px_eliezer_

Astyanax I always said they should have “grandfathered” in Pluto as a planet regardless of the other “dwarf planet” discoveries. It’s been one since the ’40s. That much time should mean something.

Exactly.

Pluto was deprived of its rights to life, longitude, and the pursuit of orbitness.

A lawsuit should have been filed seeking a writ of “Habeas Cosmos”. 😉

telcodad

Latest update on the hunt for “Planet Nine;”

The Solar System’s Greatest Mystery May Finally Be Solved!
By Mark Thompson, Universe Today - June 20, 2025
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/a-far-infrared-search-for-planet-nine-using-akari-all-sky-survey

For years, astronomers have been searching for a mysterious ninth planet lurking in the dark outer reaches of our Solar System. Now, a team of researchers have taken a completely different approach to this cosmic detective story, instead of looking for reflected sunlight, they’re hunting for the planet’s own heat signature.

Somewhat-Reticent

telcodad You mean they’re actually thinking?😮
“If at first you don’t succeed, …” try something else?

px_eliezer_

Somewhat-Reticent “If at first you don’t succeed, …” try something else?

Look at the Kentucky Derby winner today (Golden Tempo) who was way, way back for most of the race, then surged to victory.