The simulation findings showed that the orbital properties of Neptune-crossing objects closely matched those predicted by a model that included Planet 9.
Researchers may have found the "strongest statistical evidence" yet of Planet 9 (also called Planet X)⁘s existence.
For years, astronomers have been on the hunt for a mysterious planet that could be lurking in the farthest reaches of our solar system.
In 2015, Caltech astronomers Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown (well known for reclassifying Pluto) presented compelling evidence for the existence of this hypothetical planet. They proposed that Planet 9 likely follows an unusually elongated orbit in the outer solar system.
Previous studies have shown how Planet 9's gravitational impact could explain the strange orbits of objects in the outer solar system.
The researchers ran computational simulations that included gravitational interactions with all large planets, the Galactic tide, and even passing stars. They also incorporated initial conditions reflecting the migration of giant planets and the early evolution of the Sun within a star cluster.
No comments:
Post a Comment