According to new research, a mysterious and small object, 20 billion miles away from Earth, was seen by astronomers back in 1983. It may be the planet Nine.
For decades, scientists have wondered if there is a secret planet beyond the Solar System’s outer limits. Their curiosity grew again in 2016, when more evidence was available, however, nothing has been observed.
Michael RowanRobinson from Imperial College London searched the archives for a “blip” in older data which could indicate its existence.
The data from the Infrared Astronomical Satellite in 1983 was analysed by him and he found three possible sources of information that could be ‘Planet Nine.
Rowan-Robinson acknowledges the possibility of Planet Nine being the object, but he says it would be worth checking.
Michael RowanRobinson from Imperial College London searched the archives to find a “blip” in historical data which could prove its existence. It is possible that the faint green dot at 21h in this image could be Planet Nine.
According to new research, a mysterious and small object, which was cold, 20 billion miles away from Earth, was seen by astronomers back in 1983.
Planet Nine would orbit 800 miles further away from the Sun than Earth if it were to exist.
To put this in context, the Earth is currently 92 million miles from the Sun, or 1 astronomical unit (AU), whereas Pluto – which was reclassified in 2006 from a planet to a dwarf planet – is 40AU, or 3.7 billion miles.
Because of the distance it covers and its relatively small size, it can be difficult to find. The star cannot illuminate it, making it invisible in the sky. Its gravity is believed to have an impact on other objects.
Caltech’s Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin, both astronomers, rekindled curiosity in the possible ‘Super Earth” planet after they discovered that smaller objects within the Kuiper Belt are orbiting like they had been pulled around by the gravitation of larger objects.
This unusual behavior has been explained by a variety of theories, some of which include the possibility of Planet Nine being a large-sized black hole.
However, the notion of a Super Earth is pervasive and draws astronomers to it.
IRAS operated for ten months starting in January 1983. It also took a far-infrared scan of 96% of the sky during that time.
It is the ideal part of the electromagnetic spectrum that can be used to locate small and cool objects, such as Planet Nine. However, this data collection was done long enough ago for astronomers not looking for the faraway world.
Planet 9 has not been discovered yet, but it is being speculated. Researchers claim it orbits higher than Pluto and will be found in the Solar System’s depths within the next 10-15 years. The satellite is larger than Earth, yet smaller than any of the gas giants.
Rowan Robinson decided to analyze the data again using modern computing methods and parameters that were consistent with Planet Nine.
It was no easy task as 250,000 data points were detected by the satellite during three months of space travel.
After an extensive search, however, the astronomer discovered that only three of them were possible to be linked with Planet Nine: June, July, and September 1983.
The satellite identified the object in these data points as moving across the sky. It was however located within a space region close to the galactic plane.
For decades, Astronomers speculated about the possibility of an outer planet. However, nothing was ever observed.
All data points in that area are subject to galactic cirrus, which is filamentary clouds that glow far-infrared. So what could possibly be Planet Nine can also be affected by these clouds. Rowan Robinson explained.
The IRAS data shows that Planet Nine is five times as large as Earth, orbiting 225 AU away from the sun.
It can be used to indicate the orbital period of the sun by having three times points that it is moving across the sky.
This data can then be used to see where it might be now, and where to look in other data sources, such as the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS), launched in 2008.
Pan-STARRS data analysis has so far not produced any encouraging results. Astronomers actually haven’t been able to find the candidate planet.
Rowan-Robinson stated that “Dynamical Studies are required to verify whether such an object conforms with the ephemerides from other Solar System objects” and whether the object can account the clustering orbits of Kuiper Belt dwarf planets.
Despite the fact that IRAS detections may not be of the best quality, it is worth looking at near and optical wavelengths within an annulus with radius 2.5-4 degrees centered around the 1983 position.
This candidate could be ruled-out if radio or other observations confirmed that the 1983 IRAS sources were real (and stationary). positions.’
These findings were published on the arXiv preprint server.
PLANET NINE: ORBITS OF OBJECTS BEYOND NEPTUNE SUGGEST ‘SOMETHING LARGE’ IS THERE
Astronomers believe that the orbits of a number of bodies in the distant reaches of the solar system have been disrupted by the pull of an as yet unidentified planet.
This alien world, first proposed by CalTech scientists in the US to explain the distortions seen on distant icy bodies, was initially suggested.
This alien world, also known as Planet Nine, would have to approximate four times Earth’s size and be ten times larger in order to match the information they have.
According to researchers, a mass and size of such a body would be able to explain clustered paths found on a variety of minor planets other than Neptune.
This alien world, first proposed by CalTech scientists in the US to explain the distortions seen on distant icy bodies, was initially suggested.
Due to its huge orbit, it could take 10,000-20,000 years just for one pass around the sun.
Based on its gravitational pull on these bodies and astronomers predicting it to be found within the next few years, the theoretical Planet Nine was created.
People who are looking for hypothetical Earth-sized planets, as suggested by science fiction authors or astrologers, may need to continue searching.