Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – A giant planet thought to be orbiting in a dark corner of the Solar System. However, until now astronomers have not been able to determine the location of this ninth planet candidate.
Astronomers have identified eight other planets in the Solar System since 1846 or more than 150 years ago. In fact, Pluto had become the ninth planet before its status was revoked and one had to be willing to only bear the title of “dwarf planet”.
Until now, according to space expert Sara Webb, scientists are still searching for a mysterious “ninth planet”. The distance of “planet 9” from the Sun is estimated to be 20 times farther than the distance of Neptune and the Sun.
The obstacle astronomers face is technology. With the technology available today, it is still impossible to scan planets whose orbits are that far away.
The hidden giant planet is estimated to be 10 times larger than Earth. To once around the Sun, “planet 9” allegedly takes 10,000 to 20,000 “Earth years”.
If astronomers can’t pinpoint the position of “planet 9”, why is the astronomical world sure that it’s out there?
“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, Friday (24/2/2023) .
Webb explained that the gravitational pull of the Solar System is the strongest evidence for the existence of Planet 9.
“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.
All these signs, he continued, indicate that there is another gravitational force. This is also the basis for astronomers’ estimates that the size of Planet 9 is at least 10 times larger than Earth.
Previously, scientists from Caltech had stated that Planet 9 was at least 5 times larger than Earth.
Konstantin Batygin said, “With five times the mass of Earth, Planet 9 could resemble a super-Earth outside the Solar System.”
A Super Earth is a rocky celestial object, like Earth, but much larger.
Planet 9 is thought to be difficult for sunlight to reach, so its surface is very dim. Its great distance means that observers on Earth could only see the planet’s position 1,000 years ago.
Webb is optimistic that Planet 9’s problems can be overcome along with the development of telescope technology.
“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.
Webb said that in the next decade, new telescopes will be built and new surveys of the sky could begin. This new telescope can help astronomers confirm the existence of Planet 9.
(to the)
