Prompt Cast
The Search for Planet Nine: Unraveling the Mystery Beyond Neptune
TLDR Astronomers have been searching for a ninth planet beyond Neptune, known as Planet Nine, since the discovery of Pluto in 1930. The discovery of unusual orbits of trans-Neptunian objects has revived the Planet X hypothesis, leading to the search for a large rocky planet in the outer solar system, and the upcoming Varro Rubin Observatory in Chile will play a crucial role in collecting data to confirm its existence.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Astronomers have been searching for a ninth planet beyond Neptune, also known as Planet Nine or Planet X, since the discovery of Pluto in 1930.
01:34
The discovery of Uranus in the 18th century led to the prediction and eventual confirmation of Neptune's existence based on its orbital eccentricity.
02:51
The discovery of Pluto in 1930 initially solved the mystery of Planet X, but it was later determined that Pluto was too small to explain the gravitational influence observed on Neptune, leading to a new search for another planet.
04:23
The discovery of Sedna and other trans-Neptunian objects with unusual orbits revived the Planet X hypothesis, leading astronomers to theorize the existence of a large rocky planet in the outer solar system.
06:00
The existence of a large planet, known as Planet Nine, located about 1,500 AU away from the Sun, would explain the unusual orbits of trans-Neptunian objects, but its exact location and observation are difficult due to the lack of light reflected back from such a distant rocky body.
07:19
The search for Planet Nine is challenging due to its slow movement, making it difficult to distinguish from stars, and there are various theories on its origin, including interactions with Jupiter or being a rogue planet, but finding it is crucial to confirm its existence.
08:38
The Varro Rubin Observatory being built in Chile will collect an enormous amount of data over 10 years to help in the search for Planet Nine and catalog everything in our solar system.
