New Telescope Poised to Confirm or Deny Existence of Planet Beyond Neptune
A new generation of astronomical observation is set to begin, possibly resolving a decades-long search for a ninth major planet in our solar system. the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, currently preparing for a 10-year survey of the night sky, is expected to either directly detect or definitively rule out the existence of a hypothesized planet substantially larger than Mercury, currently dubbed “Planet Y.”
For over a century, astronomers have theorized about a large, unseen planet influencing the orbits of objects in the outer solar system. The search intensified following the revelation of Pluto in 1930 – initially considered “Planet X” - and the subsequent identification of numerous other Kuiper Belt objects. While Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006 after the discovery of Eris, a similar-sized object in the Kuiper Belt, the possibility of a larger, more distant planet remained. The difficulty in confirming its existence stemmed from the vastness and darkness of the Kuiper Belt, making observations challenging.
The renewed optimism stems from the Rubin Observatory’s unprecedented capabilities. “I think in the first two to three years, this will be sure,” stated Avi Loeb, a harvard University astronomer who initially proposed the planet’s existence. “If the planet Y is in the field of telescope, the telescope will be able to find it directly.”
The hunt for a ninth planet began in earnest after Neptune’s discovery in 1846, with astronomers like Percival Lowell suspecting orbital anomalies in Neptune and Uranus indicated the gravitational pull of an undiscovered object. Despite Pluto’s initial designation as Planet X, its small size ultimately proved insufficient to explain the observed orbital disturbances.Later data from the Voyager 2 probe in the early 1990s revealed Neptune’s mass was less than previously estimated,further diminishing the need for a Planet X description.
the Rubin Observatory’s survey promises to dramatically change the landscape of outer solar system exploration, potentially bringing closure to a century-old astronomical quest. The findings will impact our understanding of planetary formation and the architecture of our solar system.