Did Scientists Just Find A New Planet In Our Solar System?

Summary

The script delves into the historical quest for a ninth planet in our solar system, with a focus on the discovery of Pluto and the ongoing search for 'Planet X.' It explains celestial mechanics, particularly the Kai mechanism, which influences the orbits of trans-Neptunian objects. The script also discusses the potential existence of an alien exoplanet in the Oort Cloud and the possibility of a primordial black hole explaining gravitational anomalies. The search continues with advanced telescopes, hinting at the discovery of such a celestial body and its moons, if they exist.

Takeaways

• 🌌 The search for a ninth planet in our solar system has a historical context, with Percival Lowell hypothesizing its existence in 1902 based on anomalies in the orbits of Uranus and Neptune.
• 🔭 In 1930, Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto, initially considered the ninth planet, which was suggested by Lowell's research into the solar system's dynamics.
• 🔍 Modern astronomy continues the hunt for additional planets, with current theories suggesting the possibility of a ninth planet larger than Pluto, influenced by the 'Kai mechanism'.
• 🌀 The Kai mechanism is a dynamic effect in celestial mechanics that causes oscillation in the inclination and eccentricity of orbits within a hierarchical triple system.
• 📊 The study of the Kai mechanism is crucial for understanding the behavior of Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) and the formation and evolution of the solar system.
• 💡 In 2010, astronomers from Caltech provided potential evidence of a 'Planet X' by observing discrepancies in the orbital behaviors of TNOs, suggesting the influence of an unseen massive object.
• 🌑 The Oort Cloud, a distant region of icy objects, is considered a potential hiding place for 'Planet X' or other theoretical planets, with some astronomers estimating up to 20 hot moons surrounding it.
• 🌟 The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), expected to be operational in 2025, is anticipated to be highly effective in detecting 'Planet X' if it exists.
• 🌍 Some theories propose that 'Planet X' could be an alien exoplanet from another solar system, captured by our Sun's gravity and resting in the Oort Cloud.
• 🕳️ There is also a hypothesis that 'Planet X' might not be a planet at all, but a primordial black hole, which could explain certain gravitational anomalies.
• 🔮 Despite ongoing research and various theories, no physical evidence of 'Planet X' has been found yet, and the search continues with the hope of future discoveries.

Q & A

What was the historical context for the search of a ninth planet in our solar system?

The search for a ninth planet began in 1902 when American astronomer Percival Lowell suggested its existence. His hypothesis was based on anomalies he observed in the orbits of Uranus and Neptune, which he believed indicated the gravitational influence of an undiscovered planet.

Who discovered Pluto and when was it discovered?

Pluto was discovered by American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh on February 18, 1930. It was initially considered the ninth planet, but later reclassified as a dwarf planet.

What is the Kai mechanism and how does it relate to the search for undiscovered planets?

The Kai mechanism is a dynamic effect in celestial mechanics that describes the evolution of orbits in a hierarchical triple system. It is relevant to the study of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) and has been used to identify potential gravitational influences that could indicate the presence of undiscovered planets.

What are trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) and why are they significant in the search for additional planets?

TNOs are minor planets or dwarf planets in the outer regions of the solar system, beyond Neptune. They are significant because their orbital dynamics, particularly under the influence of the Kai mechanism, can provide clues about the presence of undiscovered, more massive bodies in the outer solar system.

What evidence did astronomers from the California Institute of Technology provide for the existence of Planet X in 2010?

In 2010, astronomers from the California Institute of Technology provided potential evidence for Planet X by identifying discrepancies in the orbital behaviors of TNOs, suggesting the influence of an unseen massive object.

What is the Kuiper Belt and how does it relate to the search for Planet X?

The Kuiper Belt is a region of the solar system beyond Neptune that contains many small icy bodies and some dwarf planets. It is relevant to the search for Planet X because some of the TNOs exhibiting unusual orbital clustering are located within this region.

What is the estimated distance of Planet X from the Sun if it exists?

If Planet X exists, astronomers estimate it to be at least 20 times farther from the Sun than Neptune, placing it between 250 to 1500 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun, with one AU being the average distance from the Earth to the Sun.

What telescopes are currently being used in the search for Planet X?

Astronomers are using the Pan-STARRS (Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System) to systematically search the sky for Planet X. Additionally, the upcoming Vera C. Rubin Observatory, expected to be operational in 2025, is anticipated to greatly enhance the search capabilities.

What is the hypothesis regarding the potential moons of Planet X?

Astronomer Manho Chan from the Education University of Hong Kong suggests that if Planet X exists, it could have up to 20 moons, each about 62 miles in diameter, heated by tidal forces to temperatures around -280°F, which is relatively warm compared to the average temperature in the Kuiper Belt.

What alternative theories exist regarding the nature of the gravitational anomalies attributed to Planet X?

Some physicists propose that the anomalies could be caused by a primordial black hole, rather than a planet. This black hole could be the size of a bowling ball and would be a remnant from the Big Bang, according to theories supported by the late physicist Stephen Hawking.

What is the Oort Cloud and how does it relate to the search for additional planets or objects?

The Oort Cloud is a theoretical region at the outermost part of the solar system, containing icy objects that could stretch from a few hundred billion to several trillion miles from the Sun. It is relevant to the search for additional planets as researchers have hypothesized that one or more planet-sized bodies could be resting there, possibly as a result of early solar system dynamics or as captured rogue planets from other solar systems.

Outlines

00:00

🔭 The Quest for a Ninth Planet

This paragraph delves into the historical pursuit of discovering additional planets in our solar system beyond the known eight. It mentions Percival Lowell's hypothesis of a ninth planet in 1902, influenced by anomalies in the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. Lowell's death in 1916 didn't halt the search, and in 1930, Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto, which was initially considered the Planet X. The paragraph also hints at modern astronomers detecting peculiarities in the solar system that suggest the existence of another, larger ninth planet, possibly influencing the orbits of distant objects. The 'Kuiper Belt' and the 'Kai mechanism' are introduced as key concepts in the study of these distant objects and the potential existence of a new planet.

05:01

🌌 The Elusive Nature of Planet X

The second paragraph discusses the immense challenges in detecting a hypothetical Planet X, which is believed to be located much farther from the Sun than Neptune, possibly taking tens of thousands of years to orbit. It provides estimates of the potential mass and orbit of this planet, suggesting it could be between 2 and 15 times more massive than Earth and located between 250 to 1500 astronomical units from the Sun. The paragraph also highlights the ongoing search for Planet X using advanced telescopes like the Pan-STARRS and the upcoming Vera C. Rubin Observatory, which could potentially detect faint signals from moons of Planet X due to tidal heating. Additionally, it touches on the possibility of an 'Earth Cloud' hiding an alien exoplanet or a rogue planet from another solar system, with a chance of around 7% for the latter scenario.

10:04

🌌 The Speculations and Future of Planet X

The final paragraph wraps up the script by acknowledging the speculative nature of Planet X and the ongoing search for physical evidence. It mentions the long journey to Pluto's discovery and invites viewers to stay updated for any potential discoveries. The paragraph also briefly entertains the idea of Planet X being a primordial black hole, a concept supported by some physicists, including the late Stephen Hawking. The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to engage with the content and a reminder of the ongoing nature of astronomical research.

Keywords

💡Ninth Planet

The term 'Ninth Planet' refers to the hypothetical celestial body that was once believed to exist beyond Neptune, influencing its orbit. In the video, it is mentioned in the context of Percival Lowell's research in 1902, which led to the eventual discovery of Pluto in 1930. However, Pluto was later reclassified as a dwarf planet, and the search for a true ninth planet continues.

💡Kuiper Belt

The 'Kuiper Belt' is a region of the solar system beyond Neptune that is home to many small celestial bodies, including Pluto. It is named after astronomer Gerard Kuiper. In the video, the Kuiper Belt is discussed as the region where some of the trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) are found, which may be influenced by the hypothetical ninth planet.

💡Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs)

Trans-Neptunian Objects, or TNOs, are minor planets or dwarf planets that orbit the Sun in the outermost regions of the solar system, beyond Neptune. The video explains that the study of TNOs is crucial for understanding the potential influence of a ninth planet on their orbits, as they may exhibit clustering and unusual orbital behaviors due to this influence.

💡Kai Mechanism

The 'Kai Mechanism' is a dynamic effect in celestial mechanics that describes the oscillation of the inclination and eccentricity of the orbits of celestial bodies in a hierarchical triple system. The video highlights its relevance to the study of TNOs, as it can cause significant changes in their orbits, potentially indicating the presence of a more massive body, like the hypothetical ninth planet.

💡Orbital Dynamics

Orbital Dynamics refers to the study of the motions of celestial bodies as they interact through gravitational forces. In the video, the concept is used to discuss how the Kai Mechanism affects the orbits of TNOs and how anomalies in these orbits might suggest the existence of an undiscovered planet.

💡Astronomers

Astronomers are scientists who study celestial objects, the physics, chemistry, and evolution of such objects, and phenomena that occur outside the Earth's atmosphere. The video script mentions astronomers such as Percival Lowell and Clyde Tombaugh, who contributed to the discovery and understanding of the ninth planet hypothesis.

💡Dwarf Planet

A 'Dwarf Planet' is a celestial body that orbits the Sun, is not a moon, has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape, but has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit of other debris. Pluto is an example mentioned in the video, initially thought to be the ninth planet but later reclassified as a dwarf planet.

💡Astronomical Units (AU)

An 'Astronomical Unit' is a unit of distance used in astronomy, defined as the average distance from the Earth to the Sun, approximately 93 million miles or 150 million kilometers. The video uses AU to describe the potential distance of the hypothetical ninth planet from the Sun, suggesting it could be hundreds to thousands of times farther than Neptune.

💡Reuben Observatory

The 'Reuben Observatory', previously known as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), is a telescope currently under construction that will be used for a wide range of astronomical observations. The video suggests that this telescope could potentially detect the hypothetical ninth planet due to its advanced capabilities.

💡Primordial Black Hole

A 'Primordial Black Hole' is a hypothetical type of black hole that could have formed in the early universe, shortly after the Big Bang. The video mentions the idea that some physicists consider the possibility that the gravitational anomalies attributed to a ninth planet could instead be caused by a primordial black hole.

💡Oort Cloud

The 'Oort Cloud' is a theoretical cloud of predominantly icy planetesimals proposed to surround the Sun to great distances, far beyond the Kuiper Belt. The video discusses the possibility that the Oort Cloud could be hiding an alien exoplanet or a ninth planet from our solar system.

Highlights

The history of searching for a ninth planet in our solar system dates back to 1902 with American astronomer Percival Lowell's hypothesis.

Lowell's research into the orbits of Uranus and Neptune led him to believe in the existence of an unknown ninth planet.

The discovery of Pluto by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930 was initially considered the ninth planet, later reclassified as a dwarf planet.

Modern astronomers continue to search for a potential ninth planet, possibly larger than Pluto, using advanced technology.

The Kozai mechanism, a dynamic effect in celestial mechanics, is key to understanding the orbits of trans-Neptunian objects.

The Kozai mechanism can cause significant orbital instabilities in trans-Neptunian objects over long timescales.

Astronomers from the California Institute of Technology provided potential evidence for Planet X using the Kozai mechanism in 2010.

Some trans-Neptunian objects, like Pluto, Charon, Eris, and Sedna, exhibit unusual clustering in their orbits, suggesting a larger influence.

The Kuiper Belt, where many trans-Neptunian objects reside, is a dark and mysterious region of our solar system.

Astronomers estimate Planet X to be at least 20 times farther from the Sun than Neptune, making it difficult to detect.

If Planet X exists, it is believed to have an orbit between 250 to 1500 astronomical units from the Sun.

The Pan-STARRS or Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System is systematically searching for Planet X.

The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), expected online in 2025, may quickly identify Planet X if it exists.

Astronomer Manho Chan suggests Planet X could have up to 20 moons, each about 62 miles in diameter, warmed by tidal heating.

The Earth Cloud, a vast collection of icy objects at the edge of our solar system, might be hiding an alien exoplanet.

Simulations of the early solar system suggest the possibility of one or more planet-sized bodies in the Earth Cloud.

Astronomers consider the likelihood of a rogue planet from another solar system being captured by the Sun's gravity.

Some physicists propose that the gravitational anomalies could be explained by a primordial black hole rather than a planet.

The search for Planet X relies on computer models and theories, with no physical evidence yet, but the hunt continues.

Transcripts

[Music]

the hunt for hidden planets in our solar

system has a long history by 1900 seven

other planets had been discovered from

Earth in the solar system bringing the

total to eight planets but in 1902

American astronomer persal La suggested

the existence of a ninth planet it was

during this time that he was studying

Mars and attempting to prove the

existence of intelligent life there as

many astronomers at the time thought

there must be martians on the red planet

so peral familiarized himself with the

solar system and the planets that we

knew of during that time it is that

research that led him to believe there

was a ninth planet out there this is

because he saw something strange with

the relationship between the orbits of

the other planets meteor showers and

comets in fact something seemed to be

affecting the orbits of Uranus and

Neptune in 1905 he began his search for

this planet but would never find it La

passed away in 1916 but another American

astronomer would come along and find

this mysterious ninth planet and on

February the 18th 1930 another American

astronomer by the name of Claude Tombo

would find this celestial object and it

would be named Pluto that's right Pluto

was once known as Planet

X so why did we tell you all this

because it seems that history is

repeating itself and astronomers see

something strange happening in the solar

system but locating planets on the edge

of the solar system isn't as easy as you

might think it is even with our current

technology in fact there might even be

more than one planet out there just

waiting to be discovered which brings us

to the current situation and that is

some astronomers think we've yet to

discover another ninth planet but it

wouldn't just be another dwarf planet

like Pluto it's probably a lot

larger the reason that astronomers

believe there are undiscovered planets

out there is due to something called the

kai mechanism the kai mechanism is a

dynamic effect in Celestial mechanics

that describes the evolution of the

orbits of two celestial bodies typically

a hierarchical triple system where one

body is orbited by a second body while

both are in turn orbited by a third body

this effect was first described by the

Japanese astronomer yoshihide Kai in

1962 in a hierarchical triple system the

kai mechanism causes the inclination and

excentricity of the inner body's orbit

to oscillate in a periodic manner

specifically as the inner body's

eccentricity increases its inclination

decreases and vice versa this periodic

exchange between eccentricity and

inclination is a consequence of the

conservation of the angular momentum and

the conservation of the total energy of

the system the coai mechanism is

particularly relevant in the study of

trans neptunian objects or tnos which

are minor planets or dwarf planets in

the outer regions of the solar system

Beyond Neptune tnos often exist in

hierarchical triple systems with a

distant massive object such as Neptune

or another large planet which can induce

the coai effect on the orbits of the

tnos in the case of tn's the kai

mechanism can have significant

implications for their orbital Dynamics

for example example the coai effect can

cause the orbits of tnos to become

highly inclined and eccentric over long

time scales this can lead to orbital

instabilities close encounters with

other planets or the Sun and even

ejections from the solar system the

study of the coai mechanism in TN is

important for understanding the

formation and evolution of the solar

system as well as for predicting the

long-term orbital behavior of these

distant objects by studying the effects

of the co mechanism astronomers can gain

insights into the dynamical processes

that have shaped the architecture of the

outer solar system and the orbital

characteristics of tnos in 2010 two

astronomers from the California

Institute of Technology provided

potential evidence of Planet X using the

kai mechanism what they found was

discrepancies in the orbital behaviors

of dwarf planets and those trans

neptunian objects some examples of TN

are Pluto charin Eris and sedna the

interesting thing about the TN is that

it was discovered some of them were

orbiting in clusters and this is highly

unusual unless something bigger is

influencing them the region these TN are

in is called the Kyer belt the origin of

which is still a big mystery to

astronomers this region of the solar

system is incredibly dark and reflects

very little light from the

sun based on models astronomers think

that Planet X is at least 20 times

farther from the Sun than Neptune the

average distance of Neptune from the Sun

is around 2.8 billion miles that's so

far away that it's mindboggling to

comprehend it takes Neptune about 165

Earth years to make one orbit around the

sun if Planet X is out there at that

distance astronomers believe it would

take between 10 and 20,000 years to make

one full orbit around our sun add all

these things together and you get an

idea of why it's been so hard for to

locate in 2014 scientists did

calculations and believe that if Planet

X does exist it has to be somewhere

between 2 and 15 times more massive than

the earth and in an orbit between 250 to

1500 astronomical units from the Sun one

astronomical unit which is defined as

the distance between the Earth and the

Sun is 93 million miles in other words

it's far far away from us that is if it

exists

so where are we now in our search there

could be one last place that this

mysterious Phantom Planet could be

hiding astronomers using the pan stars

or panoramic survey telescope and rapid

response system are continuing to

systematically cover all the regions of

the sky where the planet is predicted to

be so far a team has said that it's

eliminated 80% of the possible locations

that were calculated from previous

studies but there is another telescope

scientists say will find Planet X almost

immediately if it's out there the VC

Reuben Observatory or the large synoptic

survey telescope is currently under

construction and it's due to come online

in January

2025 according to an astronomer by the

name of manho Chan from the education

University of Hong Kong there could be

as many as 20 moons surrounding Planet X

each measuring about 62 mi in diameter

Chan says that these moons would be hot

from tidal heating from Planet X and

that would raise the temperature of

these objects to around -

280° F that doesn't sound very warm at

all but the average temperature in the

Kyer belt is a chil minus

370° F an example of a hot moon is the

volcanically active IO which orbits

Jupiter the extremely hot molten core of

the moon is the result of intense tidal

heating generated by its tug of war with

Jupiter therefore if Planet X has moons

and they do get this hot they will

likely emit a faint radio signal that

can be picked up by the new reuin

telescope when it comes online that said

the hunt for Planet X is still

on remember when we said earlier that

there might be two planets out there

well astronomers have been searching the

cold and mysterious Earth Cloud which is

at the end of our solar system and we're

now saying that this vast collection of

icy objects which stretches somewhere

between a few hundred billion to several

trillion miles from the Sun could be

hiding an alien exoplanet so how did

they come up with this idea an

international team of researchers have

simulated the unstable mechanics of the

early solar system and found the

possibility that one or more plane sized

bodies came to rest in the earth cloud

and this is how it could have happened

around 4 and 1/2 billion years ago when

the solar system was first beginning to

form it was a chaotic Place rapidly

cooling protoplanetary dust clouds sent

debris in all directions from large

pieces of rock to planet-sized chunks of

debris that would have been thrown far

enough to escape the Sun's gravity the

interesting thing is that astronomers

have observed rogue planets wandering

around in other distant solar systems

although they admit there is a fairly

slim chance that one of these rogue

planets formed in our early solar system

it's still possible that not only did

one or two planets form they certainly

could be floating out there in the cold

Icy darkness of the earth cloud

however they also think that it's more

likely that a neptun likee planet from

another solar system was grabbed by the

Sun's gravity and came to rest somewhere

in the earth Cloud they put the chance

of this at around 7% and if that's the

case then another Planet X might very

well be out there although if it was it

would still be too far away to influence

the orbit of Neptune and still be as

hard to detect maybe Planet X or this

other theoretical Alien Planet doesn't

exist at all it could be something

completely different in fact at least a

couple of physicists think that Planet X

isn't a planet at all but instead a

primordial black hole it was the late

physicist Steven Hawking who believed

that these types of black holes were

remnants of the big bang and could range

in size from an atom to 100,000 times

larger than the sun these same

physicists think this black hole is the

size of a bowling ball and would explain

the gravitational and orbital anomalies

and also explain why telescopes have

never picked up anything for now we only

have computer models and theories no

physical evidence yet but remember it

took a long time to find the dwarf

planet Pluto and no one thought it

existed either that said we invite you

to stay tuned here so that if we do

discover Planet X we'll tell you about

it that's all the time we have for now

if you enjoyed the video let us know by

giving it a like we appreciate all our

viewers thanks for watching

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