Searching for Planet 9
For decades, students were taught that the ninth planet was Pluto. Now, since Pluto is officially a "dwarf planet," there are only eight. But nonetheless, there may be a new "Planet 9." It could be five times more massive than planet Earth, and so far from the Sun that it would take 10,000 years to orbit the star. Does it really exist? Fascinating new research forces us to reconsider our beliefs.
For decades, students were taught that the ninth planet was Pluto. Now, since Pluto is officially a "dwarf planet," there are only eight. But nonetheless, there may be a new "Planet 9." It could be five times more massive than planet Earth, and so far from the Sun that it would take 10,000 years to orbit the star. Does it really exist? Fascinating new research forces us to reconsider our beliefs.
Related Titles
Related Articles
View All
The Solar System: Past, Present, and Future
The Solar System took billions of years to evolve into the stable arrangement of planets and other celestial bodies orbiting our Sun. And it has billions of years ahead of it.
James Webb Space Telescope Unveils Awe-Inspiring Images of the Early Universe
The James Webb Space Telescope launched at the end of 2021 and, since it reached its target destination, has graced observers on Earth with amazing images of objects from the…
Hawking to Humanity: We Must Venture Into Space, Or Else!
No less a thinker than the late Stephen Hawking sought to warn us that our time is running out on planet Earth. Humankind’s continued existence requires us to prepare for mass…
7 Threats Mars Colonizers Are Sure to Face in Outer Space
Humans appear to be on the verge of setting out in large numbers into space on commercial flights. Space visionaries are promoting these journeys as essential next steps for the…
The Space Race's Indispensable Man: Wernher von Braun
In the Space Race between the U.S. and U.S.S.R., America relied on the rocket designs of Wernher von Braun. Sometimes called the “Father of Space Travel,” von Braun was also…
Buy Me to the Moon: The Money and Politics of Owning Outer Space
Who owns the Moon? Technically no one – but several private companies and individuals have had other ideas. As interest in the Moon’s profit potential grows, important questions…
Making Something Out of Nothing: The History of Zero (from Babylon to Outer Space)
One minus one is zero. Simple, right? This wasn’t always the case, as with Roman numerals. Here is the story of the long slog of our hero – the zero – to acceptance and,…
The Overview Effect: How Seeing Earth from Space Changes Lives—and Inspired a Movement
The Overview Effect is the feeling of connection that astronauts experience when seeing the Earth from space. It also helped inspire the first Earth Day.
Is Outer Space a Vacuum?
Space between star systems and galaxies is immense and, in some places, nearly empty. But, does interstellar space meet the definition of a “perfect vacuum”? The quirks of quantum…