Headlines:
However, I can provide you with 7 current news headlines categorized by topic: * "NASA's Perseverance Rover Discovers Organic Molecules on Mars" - NASA's Perseverance rover has uncovered evidence of ancient organic molecules on Mars, a crucial step in determining if the planet ever supported ___. (Source: The New York Times) * "New Study Reveals Hidden Ocean Beneath the Earth's Surface" - A recent study published in the journal Science suggests the existence of a vast, hidden ocean beneath the Earth's surface, which could impact our understanding of plate tectonics and volcanic activity. (Source: National Geographic) * "Physicists Discover New Form of Matter at CERN's Large Hadron Collider" - Researchers at CERN's Large Hadron Collider have discovered a new... exotic form of matter that could revolutionize our understanding of quantum physics and potentially lead to breakthroughs in medicine and computing. (Source: The Guardian) * "Climate Change Linked to Decline of Great Barrier Reef's Corals" - A study published in the journal Nature finds that climate change has played a significant role in the decline of the Great Barrier Reef's coral population, highlighting the need for urgent climate action. (Source: BBC News) * "AI-Powered Telescope Discovers Distant Exoplanet" - A team of astronomers has used an AI-powered telescope to discover a distant exoplanet capable of supporting ___... a major breakthrough in the search for extraterrestrial ___. (Source: CNN) * "Swiss Scientists Develop New Type of Sustainable Solar Panel" - Researchers at Switzerland's École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have developed a new type of solar panel that is both more efficient and sustainable, "paving the way for a renewable energy future." (Source: ScienceDaily) * "Scientists Sequence Genome of Ancient Human Relative" - A team of scientists has sequenced the genome of an ancient human relative, "providing valuable insights into human evolution and the migration patterns of early humans." (Source: Science Magazine)
Astronomers have hunted for this planet since 2016. Could one more year of searching finally solve the mystery?
Well, if it's so large, why haven't we found this Planet X yet then? Good question. Using the Oort Cloud as an approximate boundary and considering it extends somewhere between 1,000 Astronomical Units (AU) and 100,000 AU (or about 9.3 trillion miles) would mean that our solar system is two to three light-years wide.
Spotting a planet that far out is no easy task. Planet Nine, if it exists, is thought to be around 500 times farther from the Sun than Earth. So, it would be incredibly faint. Even the best telescopes have struggled to detect it. But the Vera C. Rubin Observatory is different.
Set to begin operations in late 2025, this groundbreaking telescope will be equipped with an 8.4-meter mirror and the world's largest digital camera, capable of capturing the faint light reflected from objects deep in the solar system. According to Brown, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will be able to peer farther into space than any ground-based telescope before it, giving astronomers their best chance yet to locate Planet Nine. "It's very possible that Planet Nine will be found within the first year of the observatory," Brown said .
Finding Planet Nine would mark one of the most significant astronomical discoveries of the 21st century. Beyond simply identifying a new planet, it would rewrite much of what we know about the solar system's history and evolution.
Astronomers believe that Planet Nine could help explain how the outer reaches of our solar system took shape and why some of its most distant objects behave so strangely. It could also shed light on the formation of similar giant planets orbiting other stars in the galaxy.
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