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A newly released study seems to add greater weight to the theory that a Neptune-sized planet is hiding in the outer solar system between 13 and 26 times further out than Neptune.
Essentially there are a large number of objects in the outer solar system which are located where they shouldn't be using our current models. The only way so far to simulate how things look in reality is to add another massive planet very far out in the solar system.
the problem with it is if the gravitational effects of it are so measurable and visible on other objects, and there is debate about whether theyve picked a sample of data that simply proves their theory.
we ought to have seen it by now.
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The hunt for planet 9 on 06:47 - May 9 with 914 views
The hunt for planet 9 on 00:49 - May 9 by stonojnr
the problem with it is if the gravitational effects of it are so measurable and visible on other objects, and there is debate about whether theyve picked a sample of data that simply proves their theory.
we ought to have seen it by now.
I've not seen suggestions that this is the result of cherry-picking and it's not one team proposing it's existence. That obviously doesn't mean it exists but certainly it requires further investigation.
The gravitational effects are only recently being seen because we didn't really know much about trans-Neptunian objects or objects further out because they are incredibly difficult to see. With advances in technology we now can see a lot more of these (see the increase in discoveries of dwarf planets in this region) and are continually gathering more data.
"we ought to have seen it by now."
It's actually extremely hard to see things like planets in space because you only can see them from the light reflected from the Sun. Numerous dwarf planets the size of Pluto have been found in recent years and there are probably a lot more out in that region. The theoretical Planet 9 is probably 20 times further out in the Solar System than Neptune (Neptune is 30 AUs) so we are talking about something that is 90 billion kms from the Sun and it takes the light from the Sun 80 hours to get to it. Any reflected light by then is incredible weak and thus it would be extremely hard to randomly detect the object from visible light.
Hopefully they will be able to use the gravitation effects to narrow down the search area and then use the new Vera Ruben telescope to try and spot it. As it currently stands only the 8.2m Subaru telescope is sensitive enough to spot something like this and it's in very high demand so the researchers are only allowed 3 nights per year to do their research.
It's of course entirely possible that it doesn't exist, it's certainly worth investigating though.
SB
Avatar - IC410 - Tadpoles Nebula
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The hunt for planet 9 on 08:52 - May 9 with 794 views
The hunt for planet 9 on 08:10 - May 9 by StokieBlue
I've not seen suggestions that this is the result of cherry-picking and it's not one team proposing it's existence. That obviously doesn't mean it exists but certainly it requires further investigation.
The gravitational effects are only recently being seen because we didn't really know much about trans-Neptunian objects or objects further out because they are incredibly difficult to see. With advances in technology we now can see a lot more of these (see the increase in discoveries of dwarf planets in this region) and are continually gathering more data.
"we ought to have seen it by now."
It's actually extremely hard to see things like planets in space because you only can see them from the light reflected from the Sun. Numerous dwarf planets the size of Pluto have been found in recent years and there are probably a lot more out in that region. The theoretical Planet 9 is probably 20 times further out in the Solar System than Neptune (Neptune is 30 AUs) so we are talking about something that is 90 billion kms from the Sun and it takes the light from the Sun 80 hours to get to it. Any reflected light by then is incredible weak and thus it would be extremely hard to randomly detect the object from visible light.
Hopefully they will be able to use the gravitation effects to narrow down the search area and then use the new Vera Ruben telescope to try and spot it. As it currently stands only the 8.2m Subaru telescope is sensitive enough to spot something like this and it's in very high demand so the researchers are only allowed 3 nights per year to do their research.
It's of course entirely possible that it doesn't exist, it's certainly worth investigating though.
SB
To expand on my answer a little, here is an article from today from Astronomy Magazine explaining the difficulty in spotting a theoretical planet X due to relative magnitude.
The hunt for planet 9 on 11:35 - May 14 by StokieBlue
To expand on my answer a little, here is an article from today from Astronomy Magazine explaining the difficulty in spotting a theoretical planet X due to relative magnitude.
The outer solar system origins survey discovered over 800 trans Neptunian objects, the Dark Energy Survey found 316 new ones Neither survey found the clustering that Brown & Batygin suggests should be there, and claimed that Brown & Batygins research only accounts for 14 objects that supports their theory.
As for observing it, we are well beyond just staring at pixels on photos thesedays, surveys (as above)have found 1100 objects beyond Neptune, and counting, we can dynamically model these objects and orbits, and predict and show where any gravitational effect of a 9th planet is affecting them so we can absolutely pinpoint where to look for it, even based on Batygin and Brown's research we know where to look if they're right and yet nothing ?
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The hunt for planet 9 on 13:36 - May 14 with 334 views
The hunt for planet 9 on 13:29 - May 14 by stonojnr
The outer solar system origins survey discovered over 800 trans Neptunian objects, the Dark Energy Survey found 316 new ones Neither survey found the clustering that Brown & Batygin suggests should be there, and claimed that Brown & Batygins research only accounts for 14 objects that supports their theory.
As for observing it, we are well beyond just staring at pixels on photos thesedays, surveys (as above)have found 1100 objects beyond Neptune, and counting, we can dynamically model these objects and orbits, and predict and show where any gravitational effect of a 9th planet is affecting them so we can absolutely pinpoint where to look for it, even based on Batygin and Brown's research we know where to look if they're right and yet nothing ?
Currently they would have at most 2 days telescope time on the one scope in the world suited to looking for this so it's not as easy as to say they should have spotted it.
The majority of those objects are "just" beyond Neptune, for this object we are talking at possibly as far as 30 times the distance between Neptune and the sun beyond Neptune - it makes a massive difference to magnitude. Depending on conditions and the surface it still might be very hard to spot.
Fully agree the modelling needs to justify the case of spending time looking for a theoretical object but it certainly can't hurt to look once the new telescope is up and running and some time is available. It's an interesting theoretical exercise anyway.
Can you please link to the studies you've quoted so I can take a look?
SB
Avatar - IC410 - Tadpoles Nebula
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The hunt for planet 9 on 13:49 - May 14 with 304 views
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