• LOG IN
  • START FREE TRIAL
  • EXPLORE
    • The Dark Side
    • History
    • Science
    • Natural World
    • Majestic Earth
    • Human Spirit
    • Travel the World
  • GENRES
    • Biography
    • Space
    • Science & Tech
    • Mind & Body
    • Earth
    • Travel & Adventure
    • Nature
    • Ancient History
    • Early Modern
    • Current History
    • War & Military
    • True Crime
    • Historical Drama
    • Art & Culture
  • ARTICLES
  • Store
  • EXPLORE
    • The Dark Side
    • History
    • Science
    • Natural World
    • Majestic Earth
    • Human Spirit
    • Travel the World
  • GENRES
    • Biography
    • Space
    • Science & Tech
    • Mind & Body
    • Earth
    • Travel & Adventure
    • Nature
    • Ancient History
    • Early Modern
    • Current History
    • War & Military
    • True Crime
    • Historical Drama
    • Art & Culture
  • ARTICLES
  • Store
  • search
Planet 9 Coming Into Focus (And Maybe Planet 10, Too!) Planet 9 Coming Into Focus (And Maybe Planet 10, Too!)
share
Space, Science & Tech

Planet 9 Coming Into Focus (And Maybe Planet 10, Too!)

BY Kevin Martin PUBLISHED Sep 07, 2018
share

 

A Caltech team is on the hunt for hidden planets. Building on research first published in 2016, they amassed enough unsexy but compelling evidence to book time at the Subaru Telescope on Hawaii’s Mauna Kea and initiate a search for the unseen planet.

◊

Picture this: NASA’s best and brightest poring over data from the historic Juno mission to Jupiter and posting awesome photos of the gas giant’s astonishing cloud formations and storms for us to wrap our heads around.  Millions around the world have been thrilled by Juno’s steady flow of jaw-dropping images and discoveries.


Now picture this:  Concurrently and with much less fanfare, a team of intrepid scientists from Caltech, in Pasadena, California, is on the hunt for a mysterious object in the Kuiper Belt they call “Planet 9,” which their data indicates might be bigger than Neptune. Unfortunately for them, a high-definition image of their coy quarry probably isn’t going to appear any time soon – but they are a lot closer to finding it than you might think.


The Caltech team is headed by planetary astrophysicist Konstantin Batygin and astronomer Mike Brown.  Building on research that the team first published in 2016, they have now amassed enough unsexy but compelling evidence to have booked time at the Subaru Telescope on Hawaii’s Mauna Kea to initiate a systematic search for the as-yet-unseen planet. 


5 Theories in Search of Planet 9


And what is the evidence that has persuaded peers to accept Planet 9 as a working theory?  It’s all contained in several papers that have been published by the team over the past couple of years.  In those papers, the Caltech scientists lay out five theories to support their hypothesis that a very large ninth planet orbits the Sun and influences the motion of other bodies in the Solar System.


1 – Planet 9 May Have Pulled Some KBOs into Elliptical Orbits


Six known Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) have unorthodox, elliptical orbits that are in sync with each other but not in sync with the general orbital tilt of most KBOs.


The Kuiper Belt is a broad disc of icy rocks and other deep space objects beyond Neptune that all orbit the Sun in roughly the same direction and at the same angle.  Dwarf planet (and demoted planet 9!) Pluto resides within the Kuiper Belt and is one of the KBOs that has an orthodox orbit at the same tilt as the eight recognized planets.


There are innumerable small KBOs that are thought to be remnants of the planet-creating epoch of the Solar System, when small orbiting rocks fused together over thousands of millennia to create the planets.  Although the Kuiper Belt is much, much wider than the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and is much further from the Sun, scientists have theorized that Jupiter’s enormous gravitational field might have had a significant role in the creation of both belts.

 

Jupiter may have forced Planet 9 out of its inner orbit to its current proposed spot at the distant outskirts of the Solar System.


Astronomers believe that Jupiter may have been the first planet to have formed.  Over hundreds of millions of years, it repelled objects in both directions – toward the Sun, forming the asteroid belt, and away from the Sun, pushing asteroids and other objects into the Kuiper Belt (and, even further out, into the Oort Cloud).  


Batygin and Brown theorize that the KBOs with elliptical orbits different from most objects in the Belt have been pulled away from the pack by a massive object’s gravitational pull, and they have dubbed that object Planet 9.

The early solar system had wild orbits due to gravitational influence from Jupiter.

2 – Not Only Elliptical Orbits, but Unusually Tilted as Well


The known elliptically orbiting KBOs are also tilted – all at the same angle – about 30 degrees in a downward direction relative to the main plane at which the vast majority of other KBOs are angled.


This “drooping” angle supports the hypothesized very large, dense object somewhere beyond the Kuiper Belt that exerts a strong downward gravitational pull on these particular KBOs.  The only logical explanation proposed so far is a ninth planet orbiting the Sun at an angle distinct from the other known planets.


And that, for lack of a more permanent name, is Planet 9.


3 – Some KBOs Must Tilt at an Even Greater Angle


Batygin and Brown ran scores of computer simulations that included the hypothetical Planet 9 to theorize that there must be other KBOs (in addition to the six already identified objects) that tilt at even more extreme angles up to 90 degrees.  Sure enough, there are at least five identified objects in the Belt that orbit at a 90-degree tilt.


The data indicates that Planet 9 would have what’s called an “anti-aligned orbit”; that is, its orbit would be nearly perpendicular to the other planets, which would neatly explain the odd orbits of the KBOs they studied.


4 – Planet 9 Might Have Caused All the Planets to Shift Their Orbital Angles


One of Batygin’s graduate students at Caltech, Elizabeth Bailey, published a paper in 2017 whose thesis is that the suspected Planet 9 may have affected the orbits of all eight known planets of the Solar System.  The paper points out that the standard angle at which those eight planets orbit is six degrees “down” from the Sun’s equator. However, one would have thought that the planets would orbit at zero degrees off the equatorial plane.


So, what could account for this rather uniform tilt?  Bailey points to a by-now familiar target: Planet 9. Only an object with the mass of the proposed ninth planet, moving in an elliptical and tilted orbit, could cause the slight tilt of the planets.  

 

“No other model can explain the weirdness of these high-inclination orbits.”—Konstantin Batygin, Caltech


Batygin strongly supports his student’s work.  “Over long periods of time,” he states, “Planet 9 will make the entire Solar System plane ‘precess,’ or ‘wobble,’ just like a top on a table.”  And it is this wobbling, due to gravitational pull, that could have caused the planets’ six-degree tilt.


5 – “Weird” Orbits, Moving Counter to the Expected Direction


Finally, testing and observation have demonstrated that there are certain objects in the Kuiper Belt that actually orbit in the opposite direction from everything else in the Solar System.  How can this be? Again, the culprit would have to be something with the gravitational pull of a massive, unknown object way beyond the known planets, an object that you’d have to call Planet 9.

Additional planets may exist outside our traditional view of the solar system.

Where Did Planet 9 Originate?


Many questions remain about where Planet 9 might be located and where it came from.  The Caltech team believes that a focused examination of selected areas of the night sky will reveal its location and describe its orbital pattern.


In addition, there are a couple of theories about where this oddball planetary object might have originated.  One is that Planet 9 evolved during the same period as the other planets, but that it drifted perilously close to Jupiter.  Such a close approach could have resulted in massive Jupiter ejecting Planet 9 far out beyond the extreme reaches of the Kuiper Belt, but not so far that it escaped the Sun’s gravitational anchor.


Another theory is that Planet 9 once orbited another star – or was even an exoplanet without a home star system – drifting through space when it was captured by our Sun’s gravitational influence and pulled into an eccentric orbit.


If 9 Is Company, Would 10 Be a Crowd?


While Caltech’s team searches for Planet 9, other scientists are working through theories for yet another unseen planet – for now called (of course) Planet 10.  

 

Certain observed KBOs have unusual orbital angles, “twisted” by 30 or even 90 degrees. Others are “twisted” at a more moderate eight degrees.


Remember how the Caltech cohort pointed to the unusual orbital angles of certain observed KBOs, twisted from the “normal” plane by 30 or even 90 degrees?  Well, a team from the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory (LPL), led by astronomer Kat Volk, has identified a separate set of KBOs that tilt at a relatively slight eight degrees from the Sun’s equatorial plane.  A minor tilt, yes, but very significant in the search for additional planets.


According to the LPL team, a tilt of this angle points to the existence of yet another “planetary-mass object” (PMO) orbiting elliptically somewhere between the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud.  This PMO, a/k/a Planet 10, would be much smaller than Planet 9, somewhere between the sizes of Mars and Earth. And it would be much closer, according to the LPL scientists, perhaps “only” 100 astronomical units (AUs) from Earth.  (An AU is the distance between Earth and the Sun.) By contrast, Planet 9 may be between 500 and 700 AU from here. [link 4]


Why Is This Important? (Pssst . . . it’s Jupiter)

Jupiter is responsible for the formation of the solar system as we know it today. It's early movements help shaped the inner solar system- where Earth resides.
One of the unusual facets of the Solar System – unlike nearly all other stars that have been found to have planets – is the absence of what’s been termed a “super Earth.”  Most star systems have this type of planet, a world that ranges in size from somewhat larger than Earth to a crusty behemoth approximately the size of Neptune.

 

Some scientists and researchers use a different term than “super Earth” to describe these orbiting objects: they prefer “mini-Neptunes.”


Our Solar System is different, and Jupiter may be what makes it so.  The Solar System has eight planets: the inner four relatively small, rocky planets, and the outer four comparatively huge gas and ice giants.  


If we were to find a “super Earth” lurking somewhere at the outer edges of the Solar System, we could learn more about the genesis of our planets, their placement, and even the question of whether there is life on exoplanets orbiting distant stars.


According to current theory, Jupiter seems to be the main reason for the absence of a known “super Earth” in our planetary system.  The gas giant’s enormous mass appears to have affected the order of the planets, as well as to have marked an invisible barrier between the smaller, rocky planets and the much larger outer planets.  Jupiter may even have propelled our own “super Earth” – and yes, that would once again be Planet 9 – out beyond the Kuiper Belt.


The End (of the Search) May Be Near!


So, as we await the next set of jaw-dropping images from the Juno mission, let’s also remember to check the news for word about the Caltech team’s quest to find Planet 9 and LPL’s search for Planet 10.  They might not be able to produce pictures as pretty as Juno does, but their findings about the two hypothetical planets, the origin and organization of the Solar System, and the prominence of Jupiter in the scheme of things could be equally breathtaking.

 

Ω

 

Kevin Martin is Senior Writer for MagellanTV. He writes on a wide variety of topics, including outer space, the fine arts, and modern history. He has had a long career as a journalist and communications specialist with both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. He resides in Glendale, California.

 

 

RELATED TITLES

Other Earths: The Search for Habitable Planets
45MIN
Other Earths: The Search for Habitable Planets
Exploring Venus 4K
5 EPISODES
Exploring Venus 4K
The Super Comet 4K
2 EPISODES
The Super Comet 4K
Planet Hunters: The Search for Earth's Twin
42MIN
Planet Hunters: The Search for Earth's Twin
One Way Astronaut: Dying 33 Million Miles from Home
51MIN
One Way Astronaut: Dying 33 Million Miles from Home
Hubble's Universe
10 EPISODES
Hubble's Universe
The Age of Hubble 4k
45MIN
The Age of Hubble 4k
Hubble's Enduring Legacy 4K
50MIN
Hubble's Enduring Legacy 4K

RELATED ARTICLES

Space
Why Does Saturn Have Rings and What Are They Made Of?

Why Does Saturn Have Rings and What Are They Made Of?

by Kevin Martin | Apr 12, 2022

Saturn was visible to our ancestors, but its rings weren’t seen until Galileo took a look. The rings are made from...

Science & Tech
Why Isn’t Pluto a Planet Anymore? (Some Say It Still Is)

Why Isn’t Pluto a Planet Anymore? (Some Say It Still Is)

by Kevin Martin | Mar 17, 2022

Is Pluto a planet? Astronomers agreed in 2006 to...

Science & Tech
Are We Alone in the Universe? Scientists Resoundingly Say . . . Maybe

Are We Alone in the Universe? Scientists Resoundingly Say . . . Maybe

by Kevin Martin | Dec 03, 2021

Are we alone in the Universe? Many people wonder if...

Earth
A Long Time Coming: How the Universe Will End

A Long Time Coming: How the Universe Will End

by Kevin Martin | Nov 14, 2020

Astrophysicists have laid out ages that define the duration of our universe, from the opening moments of the Big Bang...

Space
Mysteries of Venus: How’s Earth’s Twin Became a Fiery Hellscape

Mysteries of Venus: How’s Earth’s Twin Became a Fiery Hellscape

by Kevin Martin | Sep 11, 2020

For at least the first 200 million years of its...

Space
The Cosmic Origins of Our Celestial Home: How Birth of Planet Earth Turns Our Gaze to the Heavens

The Cosmic Origins of Our Celestial Home: How Birth of Planet Earth Turns Our Gaze to the Heavens

by Kevin Martin | Nov 19, 2019

How did the Solar System form, and how did Earth become the only planet where life has developed? In a story perhaps best experienced through a documentary film, we see that a unique set of events allowed life to flourish on our home planet.

Earth
The Very Long Odds of Life on Planet Earth

The Very Long Odds of Life on Planet Earth

by Kevin Martin | Oct 08, 2019

For Earth to foster life required many processes to happen in the right order and time. Had Earth formed elsewhere in...

Mind & Body
Made in a Hollywood Basement? Cultural and Psychological Roots of Moon Landing Conspiracy Theories

Made in a Hollywood Basement? Cultural and Psychological Roots of Moon Landing Conspiracy Theories

by Eden Arielle Gordon | Jul 02, 2019

The Apollo moon landings were massive achievements for technology and science. Unfortunately, they’re also shrouded in conspiracy theories. Why do people believe the Moon landing was faked? The answer may be rooted in a cultural context that could gi

Space
Apollo’s New Moon: The Director’s Take

Apollo’s New Moon: The Director’s Take

by Kevin Martin | Jul 01, 2019

Apollo’s New Moon writer/director David Sky Brody discusses aspects of this MagellanTV original film, and the...

Space
Moon Work Was Hard Work: Apollo’s Astronauts Didn’t Have It Easy

Moon Work Was Hard Work: Apollo’s Astronauts Didn’t Have It Easy

by David Sky Brody (@davidskybrody) | Jun 27, 2019

Working on the Moon was no walk in the park for the...

Science & Tech
The Complex Evolution Of The Telescope

The Complex Evolution Of The Telescope

by Kevin Martin | Jun 11, 2019

Galileo is recognized as the first man to use a telescope to gaze at the stars and planets. But since then, his...

Nature
Facts about Shield Volcanoes: A Trip on the Lava Train

Facts about Shield Volcanoes: A Trip on the Lava Train

by Kevin Martin | May 06, 2019

Shield volcanoes are distinct from other volcanoes due to their sheer massiveness and the unique manner in which they...

Space
How We Learned the Night Sky is a Time Machine

How We Learned the Night Sky is a Time Machine

by Kevin Martin | Jan 30, 2019

Have you met Jim al-Khalili? (You’re about to.) He is a UK-based theoretical physicist and also a talented...

Insider
Viewers’ Favorite Documentaries of 2018

Viewers’ Favorite Documentaries of 2018

by Justine Damiano | Dec 27, 2018

2018 is coming to a close. Before it ends, let’s remember some of the highlights. You watched a lot of...

Space
Journeys To Jupiter - 2001: A Space Odyssey Turns 50

Journeys To Jupiter - 2001: A Space Odyssey Turns 50

by Arthur M. Marx | Oct 17, 2018

Fifty years ago, Stanley Kubrick released his film 2001: A Space Odyssey, a classic tale of an epic journey to Jupiter....

Space
Jupiter's Stormy Weather: Juno Reveals More Than the Eye Can See

Jupiter's Stormy Weather: Juno Reveals More Than the Eye Can See

by Kevin Martin | Sep 07, 2018

The Juno probe has revealed Jupiter's majestic weather patterns in amazing detail. But are Jupiter's colors really that dynamic? It turns out, no. But just because these images utilize "false color" doesn't mean they're "fake news."

Science & Tech
Hawking to Humanity: We Must Venture Into Space, Or Else!

Hawking to Humanity: We Must Venture Into Space, Or Else!

by Kevin Martin | Oct 11, 2018

No less a thinker than the late Stephen Hawking sought to warn us that our time is running out on planet Earth. ...

Space
Salyut-7 and The New Cold War

Salyut-7 and The New Cold War

by Arthur M. Marx | Oct 11, 2018

More than three decades ago, the United States and the U.S.S.R. nearly came to blows over a disabled Soviet space station called Salyut-7. Or did...

Space
How the Apollo Moon Missions Changed Our Understanding of the Solar System

How the Apollo Moon Missions Changed Our Understanding of the Solar System

by Tom Lucas | Oct 12, 2018

Find out how Apollo 11 and the manned moon missions...

Space
7 Threats Mars Colonizers Are Sure to Face in Outer Space

7 Threats Mars Colonizers Are Sure to Face in Outer Space

by Kevin Martin | Mar 12, 2019

Humans appear to be on the verge of setting out in large numbers into space on commercial flights. Space visionaries...

Available On:

And More..

  • Find Us on Facebook
  • Follow us onInstagram
  • Follow @MagellanTVdocs

© MagellanTV, LLC 2018 - 2022

  • Gift MagellanTV
  • Store
  • FAQ
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact Support
  • About
  • Accessibility