Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Planet Nine, a mysterious celestial body, has long intrigued scientists for its potential to explain anomalous motions in the far reaches of the Solar System.
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Extreme Trans-Neptunian Objects (ETNOs) exhibit strange gravitational behaviors that hint at the presence of this massive, unseen planet.
Using Pan-STARRS data, researchers have eliminated 80% of Planet Nine's predicted locations, narrowing the search significantly.
Simulations suggest Planet Nine could be the fifth largest object in the Solar System, with a mass between Earth and Uranus.
A 2014 Pacific Ocean meteorite, CNEOS14, may have been influenced by Planet Nine’s gravitational pull, supporting the "messenger hypothesis."
Theories propose Planet Nine is either a rocky Super-Earth or a smaller gas giant, setting it apart from known planets in the Solar System.
At over 500 AU from the Sun, Planet Nine’s faintness and vast distance make direct detection nearly impossible with current technology.
While some argue for observational biases in ETNO data, others emphasize the gravitational effects pointing to Planet Nine’s existence.
Efforts like the Vera Rubin Observatory’s sky surveys aim to confirm or refute Planet Nine’s existence, keeping the quest alive for this elusive celestial body.