The Elusive Planet Nine: Evidence, Skepticism, and the Ongoing Search for a Hypothetical Outer Solar System Giant

United States of America
Estimated mass of Planet Nine is around 5 Earths and it is believed to be about 10 times more distant from the Sun than Neptune
Evidence for Planet Nine includes its gravitational pull on other celestial bodies such as Kuiper belt objects
Planet Nine is a hypothetical gas or ice giant planet located in the outer reaches of the solar system
Search for Planet Nine is ongoing, with some believing we may be on the verge of discovery while others remain skeptical
The Elusive Planet Nine: Evidence, Skepticism, and the Ongoing Search for a Hypothetical Outer Solar System Giant

Planet Nine, a hypothetical gas or ice giant planet located in the outer reaches of the solar system, has eluded discovery despite evidence suggesting its existence through gravitational pull on other celestial bodies. The search for this elusive world is ongoing, with scientists estimating that it could lie billions of miles farther out than Neptune. While some believe that we may be on the verge of discovering Planet Nine, others remain skeptical due to the challenges posed by observational bias and satellite megaconstellations such as Starlink.

The evidence for Planet Nine comes from its gravitational pull on other bodies in the solar system. For instance, Kuiper belt objects (KBOs) have clustered orbits which could be caused by an undetected outer planet. The possible mass of this world is estimated to be around 5 Earths and it is believed to be about 10 times more distant from the Sun than Neptune.

Despite the ongoing search, Planet N9 has yet to be discovered. Some argue that it may not even exist, while others believe that we have simply not looked in the right place yet. The latest study suggests that Planet Nine could be closer to the Sun than previously thought, which would make its discovery more feasible.

The search for Planet Nine is significant because it could provide valuable insights into the formation and evolution of our solar system. However, it also highlights the challenges faced by astronomers in conducting unbiased and comprehensive research in an increasingly crowded sky.

References:

  • Michael E. Brown, Konstantin Batygin. (2016). The orbit of Planet Nine.
  • arXiv preprint arXiv:2108.09868 (2021).


Confidence

85%

Doubts
  • Some scientists argue that the observed phenomena could be explained by other factors, such as satellite megaconstellations
  • The evidence for Planet Nine's existence is based on gravitational pull and clustered orbits of celestial bodies, but direct observation has yet to be made

Sources

96%

  • Unique Points
    • Planet Nine is a gas or ice giant
    • It could lie billions of miles farther out than the other planets
  • Accuracy
    • Planet Nine is believed to be a gas or ice giant
    • Planet Nine could lie billions of miles farther out than the other planets
    • If Planet Nine exists, it is likely a gas or ice giant planet around 5 to 10 times the mass of Earth with a highly elliptical orbit
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

96%

  • Unique Points
    • Satellite megaconstellations such as Starlink pose an existential threat to planetary astronomy.
  • Accuracy
    • Approximately 10 years have passed since astronomers noticed odd behavior in some outer Solar System objects, suggesting a possible large, gravitational mass very far out: a possible Planet Nine.
    • The original team of Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin continue to advocate for the existence of a novel, massive, undiscovered world located at hundreds of times the Earth-Sun distance.
    • However, other scientists see no evidence for this hypothetical world.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

85%

  • Unique Points
    • Planet Nine is a theoretical planet in the outer solar system that is difficult to find.
    • If Planet Nine exists, it is likely a gas or ice giant planet around 5 to 10 times the mass of Earth with a highly elliptical orbit.
    • A probe sent to Planet Nine would take between 45 and 75 years to reach it based on current estimates.
    • Planet Nine could currently be more than 550 astronomical units away from the sun.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (30%)
    The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the existence of Planet Nine and the possibility of sending a probe to it. It does not mention any contradictory evidence or alternative explanations for the anomalous movements of objects in the outer solar system. The author also makes editorializing statements, such as 'Some experts believe that we could be just a few years away from discovering the elusive Planet Nine' and 'But if we do find it, how long would it take for us to send a spacecraft to the far-flung world?' These statements are not facts and express the author's opinions.
    • Some experts believe that we could be just a few years away from discovering the elusive Planet Nine
    • But if we do find it, how long would it take for us to send a spacecraft to the far-flung world?
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

96%

  • Unique Points
    • Planet 9, a hypothetical planet, has eluded discovery despite evidence of its existence through gravitational pull on other bodies
    • Kuiper belt objects (KBOs) have clustered orbits which could be caused by an undetected outer planet
    • Planet 9 is estimated to have a mass of 5 Earths and be about 10 times more distant from the Sun than Neptune
  • Accuracy
    • There are eight known planets in the solar system
    • Planet Nine is believed to be a gas or ice giant
    • It could lie billions of miles farther out than the other planets
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    No ad hominem attacks or appeals to authority found. No inflammatory rhetoric used. Some dichotomous depictions and informal fallacies, but overall the article is well-researched and presents a balanced view of the existence of Planet 9. The author does not make definitive claims about its existence, instead presenting the evidence for and against its existence. The article also acknowledges that many astronomers still argue that Planet 9 doesn't exist.
    • The evidence for Planet 9 comes from its gravitational pull on other bodies. If the planet exists, its gravity will affect the orbits of other planets. So if something seems to be tugging on a planet, just do a bit of math to find the source.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication