Have we finally seen the new planet in the depths of the solar system?

In 2006, following the discovery of Eris by Mike Brown, nicknamed “Pluto Killer”, the planet Pluto was demoted. It becomes a dwarf planet. The solar system must then be seen as composed of eight major planets and some dwarf planets.

However, supported doubts many observations go in the direction of a “real” planet, more massive than the earth, hidden in the strong dark depths of the solar system, it is then called “new planet”, or even simply P9. It was in 2016 that Brown and Batygin offered this fairly logical solution to several bizarries from the solar system.

The new planet would explain why the orbits beyond Neptune shift from the ecliptic plane (that is to say of the plane formed by the eight planets orbiting all around the Equator of the Sun) as well as the presence of an unusual grouping of transneptunian bodies in the same area.

Detection of a movement over 23 years: is it the new planet?

A study Directed by Terry Long Phan, of Taiwan, and published on Cambridge University Press, shows that thanks to two astronomical surveys made at 23 years apart, the signal of a movement that can correspond to that of P9 was found.

On the Iras and Akari surveys (infrared), in total astronomers have seen 13 candidates with a convincing distance, about 500 times further from the sun than the earth, and whose mass would be around 7 to 17 terrestrial masses.

For one of these signals to correspond, it must be seen a movement over 23 years at the desired speed: indeed, under the laws of Kepler, a planet so far from the sun would have a slow extreme speed.

A candidate broke down with a trip such that held out over 23 years (angular separation between 42 ‘and 69.6’) and no notable over six months of time. On the other hand, it is impossible to deduce an orbit with the data currently in their possession. The authors therefore suggest an observation their new planet candidate with another instrument.

If the new planet is more massive than Neptune then it may be it

In the conclusion of their study also published on Arxiv, the authors specify that if the new planet is less massive than Neptune, they could not detect it. In revance if it is more massive, then there is a chance that it is there, before our eyes …