The far reaches of the solar system are a dark and distant area where we miss the details. This far from the Sun’s light, even a relatively large planet can easily be hidden from our attention. The Trans-Neptune Objects (TNOs) we found beyond the orbit of Neptune show some peculiar clustering behavior that could indicate the existence of a hidden world. This led scientists to propose the idea of ​​a ninth planet, a major planet of the terrestrial group, lurking far beyond the field of view.

Now two scientists have come up with an alternative explanation: a more modest, Earth-like world in an inclined orbit much closer than the controversial Planet Nine; this might explain the strange behavior associated with the presence of something bigger.

According to planetary scientist Patrick Sophia Lykawka of Kindai University in Japan and Takashi Ito of Japan’s National Astronomical Observatory, this frozen and dark world so far from the Sun will not exceed 3 times the mass of Earth and is at 500 AU. it won’t be too much. from the sun.

“We predict the existence of an Earth-like planet and several trans-Neptunian objects in special orbits in the outer solar system that could serve as observationally confirmed markers of putative planetary disturbances,” they write.

It was 132 AU from the Sun when we found the single furthest object we could find in the Solar System. Pluto is on average about 40 AU from the Sun, in terms of context.

But beyond Neptune (30 AU from the Sun), there are loads of icy rocks and dwarf planets that stretch as far as we can see. This is the Kuiper Belt and the objects it contains are TNOs. In recent years, thanks to more sensitive telescopes and research, we have been able to detect much more TNO than previously detected, allowing scientists to start noticing patterns.

One such model is clustering. Some TNO groups cluster and move together in groups on inclined or inclined trajectories; which suggests that they were gravitationally affected by something much larger than any of the smaller objects we’ve been able to observe so far.

In 2016, Caltech astronomers Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin pointed to a hypothetical ninth planet as the culprit. This planet is believed to be about 6.3 times the mass of Earth and orbits more than 460 AU.

But they weren’t the first to make a statement. Lykavka and his then-Kobe University colleague Tadashi Mukai noticed the TNO cluster and proposed a hypothetical hidden Kuiper belt planet in 2008.

Lykavka and Ito have reevaluated and developed this idea with more data on what is now available. They found features of a hypothetical planet that could explain various features of the Kuiper belt. Further observations can determine whether these are true.

“We determined that an Earth-like planet in a distant and tilted orbit could explain three key features of the distant Kuiper belt: a significant population of TNOs with orbits outside the gravitational influence of Neptune, a significant population of highly inclined objects, and the presence of some extreme objects with specific orbits.” they write.

This Earth-like planet would have a mass of 1.5 to 3 times that of Earth, an orbit, the furthest point from the Sun 250 to 500 AU, and an inclination of 30 degrees relative to the plane of the Solar System. .

Its presence could explain the orbits of objects with an inclination greater than 45 degrees, as well as objects such as the dwarf planet Sedna, which has an extremely strange and elongated orbit. It may also explain the characteristics of TNO groups that seem to be related to Neptune and are often overlooked in such studies.

The couple’s findings offer verifiable indications of their hypothetical planet. The planet’s gravity will push TNOs into cluster populations above 150 AU, and we’ll be able to find out as our methods and tools improve.

“More detailed information on orbital structure in the distant Kuiper belt could reveal or exclude the existence of any hypothetical planets in the outer solar system,” they write. “The existence of a Kuiper belt planet may also provide new constraints on planet formation and dynamic evolution in the trans-Jupiter region.” Source