An Earth-like planet may be hiding beyond Neptune’s orbit

Two scientists claim something could happen Earth-like planet hidden in the outer reaches of the Solar System; They explain that this is not the famous hypothesis about Planet Nine, also known as Planet X. Researchers even suggest that the new planet is much closer to Earth than the so-called ninth planet of the Solar System.

Scientists Patryk Sofia Lykawka of Kindai University and Takashi Ito of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan suggest that a planet exists very far from the Sun, 250 to 500 astronomical units (AU) from our bright star; some experts suggest the ninth planet is as far away as 1000 AU; one AU represents the average distance between the Earth and the Sun. The study suggests that the planet should have a mass three times that of Earth, in addition to being in an icy and dark region.

Using the data, the researchers realized that orbiting trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) provided ‘evidence’ of an ‘Earth-like’ planet in the outer solar system; TNOs can be defined as minor planetary bodies located beyond the orbit of Neptune.

“Orbits of trans-Neptune objects (TNOs) may indicate the presence of an undiscovered planet in the outer solar system. We predict the existence of an Earth-like planet. It is conceivable that a primitive planetary body could survive as a Kuiper Belt Planet (KBP) in the distant Kuiper Belt. prone to this, because many such objects existed in the early Solar System.

Earth-like planet

The study explains that TNOs are remnants from the formation of the outer solar system, which consists of a mixture of water, methane, amorphous carbon and rock, among other elements. After analyzing them, the team found: some of these objects are being affected by something bigger; The Earth-like planet may be responsible for this effect.

In any case, it is important to note that scientists only predicted the existence of this planet; well, They did not confirm that KBP really exists. That’s why they plan to continue working on the issue further to find an answer closer to the truth.

“We determined that an Earth-like planet in a distant, inclined orbit could explain three key features of the distant Kuiper Belt. [Estas são] There is a significant population of TNOs with orbits beyond Neptune’s gravitational influence, a significant population of highly inclined objects, and some extreme objects with strange orbits,” the researchers explain in the study.

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