This article was published on July 18, 2020

Will we ever find Planet 9? The mystery that could lie at the edge of our solar system

A mysterious planet — called Planet 9 or Planet X — may be hiding at the edge of our solar system. Will we ever find this world?


Will we ever find Planet 9? The mystery that could lie at the edge of our solar system Image by: icons8 (edited)

Planet nine may be orbiting far from the Sun, at the edge of our solar system. Astronomers, seeing odd irregularities in the orbits of the outer planets suspect another, unknown, planet may orbit beyond the eight we know of today.

Planet 9 is depected here as a large, blue, gaseous planet.
Planet 9 would likely be a gas giant, hiding on the edge of our solar system (lighting for effect). Image credit: The Cosmic Companion / Created in Universe Sandbox
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Gravitational effects from Planet 9 would send some bodies into solar orbits perpendicular to the plane on which planets travel. Image credit: Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC). Diagram created in WorldWide Telescope.

This article was originally published on The Cosmic Companion by James Maynard, founder and publisher of The Cosmic Companion. He is a New England native turned desert rat in Tucson, where he lives with his lovely wife, Nicole, and Max the Cat. You can read this original piece here.

Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion is also available as a weekly podcast, carried on all major podcast providers. Tune in every Tuesday for updates on the latest astronomy news, and interviews with astronomers and other researchers working to uncover the nature of the Universe.

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