Astronomers Hint at Hidden “Planet Y” in Our Solar System

Scientists have found fresh evidence of a mysterious new world — Planet Y — in our solar system.

[{"selector":"#anim-077c8220-1563-4d17-aff9-2fbee55def23","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3c578800-e28c-4bf6-8ea1-ce5076e98fbd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Planet Y hasn’t been seen yet. Its presence is inferred by strange tilts in Kuiper Belt objects beyond Neptune.

[{"selector":"#anim-d6a297ff-f0c4-4c21-ad52-e7ca002df0b7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d6715c5b-260f-4a65-b768-cf2f45e5c4f4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-14.851992752725598%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] Researchers say Planet Y may be smaller than Earth but larger than Mercury, orbiting far from the Sun.

[{"selector":"#anim-6053ceed-7fcb-4f39-b59f-697465c1b940","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Astronomer Amir Siraj calls it “a puzzle with a likely planetary solution.” The idea is stirring debate.

[{"selector":"#anim-cd7de728-e88a-411e-b4c8-2e4ef1fa606e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Why the mystery? The Kuiper Belt is dark and distant, making direct observation difficult.

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[{"selector":"#anim-1e04ebef-be7b-4af6-82c4-516b009a5fa4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d3f4b59c-b2f0-4058-81bf-a540564ba3dc [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Planet Nine and Planet Y aren’t mutually exclusive — both could exist in the far solar system.

[{"selector":"#anim-7f2c00d8-fa09-4588-a9c0-4689a89f3742","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0b0d989a-e3c8-40a1-b3e2-6ebbe59d8a86 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-14.855072250510062%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] If confirmed, Planet Y could reshape our understanding of how the solar system formed.

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