Researchers from Rice University believe they have found evidence supporting the existence of a ninth planet in our solar system, known as Planet Nine. Based on complex simulations, they estimate a 40% chance that such a planet exists and could be detected by the soon-to-be-operational Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile. This observatory, equipped with the largest camera ever built, is expected to enhance the search for distant solar system objects, which could either confirm Planet Nine’s existence or help to eliminate it as a possibility. The concept originated from Caltech astronomers in 2016 and revolves around the unusual orbits of certain Kuiper Belt objects.
With its unparalleled ability to survey the sky in depth and detail, the observatory is expected to significantly advance the search for distant solar system objects, increasing the likelihood of either detecting Planet Nine or providing the evidence needed to rule out its existence.
Essentially, we're watching pinballs in a cosmic arcade. When giant planets scatter each other through gravitational interactions, some are flung into wide orbits—a phenomenon that supports the likelihood of Planet Nine existing.
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