Discovering a Possible New Ninth Planet: Astronomers Identify Mysterious Candidate Beyond Neptune

Astronomers have taken a step closer to possibly discovering a ninth planet in our solar system. Recent research suggests they’ve found a promising candidate way beyond Neptune. This could be what some call Planet Nine, a theorized giant world orbiting the sun, but opinions about this claim vary widely within the scientific community.

This candidate was identified through old satellite data. Although it’s just a faint dot in some infrared images, its movement aligns with what a distant planet would exhibit. “I felt very excited,” said Terry Phan, a doctoral student from National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan and lead author of the study. “It’s motivated us a lot.”

The study was shared on a preprint server on April 24 and is set to be published in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia. However, skepticism surrounds its findings. For instance, Mike Brown, an astronomer at Caltech who initially proposed the Planet Nine theory in 2016, expressed doubts. He calculated that if this infrared signal were indeed a planet, its orbit would be tilted too far from what is expected for Planet Nine. He emphasized, “This mismatch doesn’t mean it’s not there, but it means it’s not Planet Nine.”

Many scientists remain unconvinced that the odd orbits of certain objects in the Kuiper Belt can be explained by a hidden planet. Instead, they await solid observational evidence. If Planet Nine exists, it would likely be much larger than Earth and travel in a strange path billions of miles from Neptune. Detecting such a distant object poses significant challenges.

The research team used data from two older satellites: the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) launched in 1983 and the AKARI satellite that operated from 2006 to 2011. They scrutinized past data for slow-moving celestial objects, similar to how Planet Nine would behave. They filtered known objects, ultimately identifying a potential candidate. This dot had consistent colors and brightness in both sets of images, suggesting it could be a single object.

However, Brown pointed out that if this new candidate coexists with the initial Planet Nine theory, its orbit could destabilize both. So, it might be a different planet altogether that could challenge our understanding of the solar system.

The debate about Planet Nine isn’t going away anytime soon. But 2025 could bring answers. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, currently nearing completion in Chile, aims to resolve this mystery. With its advanced capabilities, scientists hope it can detect Planet Nine or shed light on similar questions within just a couple of years.

Current trends on social media show mixed reactions to these discoveries. For many, the idea of another planet hiding in our solar neighborhood ignites curiosity and excitement. Others are skeptical, voicing the need for concrete evidence before jumping to conclusions. As we continue to explore, the future of astronomy may hinge on what we find just beyond our current knowledge. For further insights, check out [Science](https://www.science.org) and [Space.com](http://space.com) for updates on this ongoing story.

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