Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Astronomers are sure that there is a 9th planet after Neptune. But unfortunately the location of its existence in the solar system is still a mystery.
The search for the 9th planet is continuing. Astronomers must overcome technological hurdles to find planets at great distances.
Sara Webb, an aerospace expert, tries to explain why it is believed that there is a 9th planet. Despite all the difficulties one has to face to find it.
“Astronomers have good reason to spend hundreds of hours searching for the location of planet nine. The reason is that everything we know about the Solar System doesn’t make sense without Planet 9,” Webb was quoted as saying in The Conversation, Monday (27/2/2023) .
He explained that the strong evidence for the existence of Planet 9 is gravity in the Solar System.
“When we observe distant objects, such as the dwarf planets which are farther than Pluto, their orbits are not as predictable. They move in elliptical (oval-shaped) orbits that are very broad, clustered, and more upright than any other object in the Solar System,” explained Webb.
He added that all the signs found refer to the existence of other gravitational forces. This is also the basis for astronomers’ estimates that the size of the 9th planet is about 10 times larger than Earth.
Even so there are other estimates that take into account its size ‘only’ five times that of Earth. This calculation was mentioned by scientists from Caltech.
Planet 9 is very far away. One estimate is that the distance from the Sun is 20 times that of Neptune and the center of the solar system.
Its great distance makes it take a long time for the planet to circle the Sun. That is, it reaches 10 thousand to 20 thousand Earth years.
Meanwhile, the surface of the planet replacing Pluto is expected to be very dark. The reason is because sunlight is difficult to get there.
With such a long distance, observations from Earth could only see its position 1,000 years ago.
Even with many challenges, Webb believes he can overcome them with the development of telescope technology.
In a decade, he says new telescopes will be built. It was then that observations of the sky could begin and aid in the existence of planet 9.
“We only have a very short time during the night, and the conditions must be just right. Specifically, we must wait for the time on a night with a moonless sky, and the location of the lookout must also face the correct point in the sky,” he said.
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