The ninth planet of the solar system – the five most important questions – Interia

Recent analysis of the outer orbits of the solar system suggest that far from the sun can circulate giant planet. But what are the implications of this potential discovery?

Do ninth planet actually exists?

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It is possible that far from the Sun, in the outer Solar System is a large planet similar in size to Neptune. After the simulation, such conclusions were reached by astronomers from Caltech American university. read more
                     

A few days ago, Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown of Caltech, revealed the results of studies that suggest that giant planet can lurk far beyond the orbit of Pluto and its relatives Kuiper Belt. Until now it was thought that in the Kuiper Belt may be small objects, or even dwarf planets, but not massive objects likes planets.

The hypothesis of existence of the mysterious ninth planet, astronomers deduced based on the orbits of distant objects, m.in . Sedna and 2012 VP113 object. The orbits of these bodies are different from most Kuiper Belt objects, and so far not offered any theory addressing this eccentricity. Batygin and Brown proposed the thesis that a mysterious ninth planet can affect the characteristics of the orbit of Sedna and 2012 VP113. On rock and ice body from the Kuiper Belt undoubtedly affected by Neptune, but its gravity is not strong enough to so alter the orbits of these objects.

The gravitational perturbations forming the Kuiper Belt objects can be explained by the presence of a planet by at least 10 Earth masses, moving in an orbit approx. 700 I and ellipticity 0.6 (whereby the perihelion object would be placed just 280 AU from the Sun). Analyses of researchers from Caltech are based on relatively strong data, the existence ninth planet must therefore be considered strongly probable.

But the existence of the giant planet outside the solar system raises many questions that still may not be satisfactory answers. But let’s try to take the most important.

New Super-Earth planet is whether Minineptun?

The ninth planet is probably Minineptun. The term was first used in 2009. To determine the masses of planets of 10 Earth. From what we know about the formation of planets, the world such as Minineptum would be surrounded by a thick atmosphere dominated by primordial hydrogen and helium. Because Neptune is 17 times larger than Earth, the newly discovered planet would be similar to ice giants, rather than rocky planets like Earth.

What new planet means for Solar System ?

So far, the solar system started to be unique with respect to its planetary architecture compared to other odkrywanymi planetary systems. In particular, most planetary systems around cool stars seems to contain at least one world weighing between Earth and Neptune (perhaps as much as 60 percent. Systems in the universe). Confirmation of the existence of Minineptuna places the solar system in a much more typical category – what is good or bad, depending on your point of view.

Is the new planet is capable to live?

The ninth planet is so far from the Sun that reaches for her little sunlight. But the thick layer of the hydrogen atmosphere is impermeable to infrared radiation. This means that the ninth planet may resemble a greenhouse. It is possible that the considered planet right conditions for the existence of water. They may be similar to the depths of the Earth, in which living organisms exist yet. The ninth planet may be essentially sterile, however – even if under layers of ice, there is a store of water, it is unlikely that these contain chemicals suitable for the education of life. Unless you have a rocky core at some stage of contact with the ocean.

What such a large planet is doing so far from the Sun?

According to the existing knowledge enormous, as big as contemplated Minineptun planet should not exist so far from their stars. On the fringe of the solar system there is simply not enough material and enough strong gravity, which would create a giant planet. The ninth planet may therefore be missing the fifth ice giant, which probably once existed in the solar system, but it was thrown out. A hypothetical planet in the Kuiper Belt fits into this scenario.

The new facility is the 9th planet or something else?

The process of classification of planets is to increasing our scientific knowledge. The existence of a ninth planet in the Kuiper Belt solves several major problems of modern astronomy, but generates extra. If, in the meantime, scientists did not discover what other body can interact gravitationally on other objects in the Kuiper Belt, the probability of the existence of the Ninth Planet is considered as high.