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3w ago

Astronomers Identify Prime Candidate for Hypothetical Planet Nine

A new study pinpoints a Neptune-sized object with a 10,000–20,000-year orbit using decades-old infrared data, but confirmation awaits peer review and further observations.

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The hunt for Planet Nine: A comparison of two sky surveys reveals a new candidate.
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Overview

  • Researchers compared infrared data from the 1983 IRAS and 2006 AKARI surveys, identifying one prime candidate for Planet Nine among 13 potential objects.
  • The candidate is hypothesized to be Neptune-sized and located approximately 400 astronomical units from the Sun, with an orbit lasting 10,000–20,000 years.
  • The study, led by Taiwanese researchers, has been accepted for publication in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia but has not yet undergone peer review.
  • The findings aim to explain the unusual clustering of Kuiper Belt objects, which some scientists attribute to the gravitational influence of an unseen massive body.
  • Skepticism remains, with Caltech astronomer Mike Brown questioning whether the candidate aligns with the expected characteristics and effects of Planet Nine.