Astronomers Have Found a Prime Candidate for the Elusive Planet 9

Since the demotion of Pluto to dwarf planet, there's been a ninth-planet-shaped hole in the hearts of many Earthlings. How will we remember what My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us now?

Well, if we're lucky, we may soon be able to fill that gap. For some time now, scientists have wondered if a regular planet—not a dwarf planet—could explain some of the clustering of objects in the Kuiper Belt that starts at Neptune and extends outward from our Solar System. (Pluto is considered a Kuiper Belt object.) This hypothetical Planet 9 has never been directly observed and remains theoretical, but in new research uploaded to the preprint site arXiV, scientists share a very educated guess about the location of the long-theorized celestial body. (This study is not yet peer reviewed, but it follows a presentation from a 2024 conference and is listed as "Accepted for publication in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia (PASA).")

View in Browser  SHOP EXCLUSIVE SUBSCRIBE Astronomers Have Found a Prime Candidate for the Elusive Planet 9 Astronomers Have Found a Prime Candidate for the Elusive Planet 9 Since the demotion of Pluto to dwarf planet, there's been a ninth-planet-shaped hole in the hearts of many Earthlings. How will we remember what My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us now? Well, if we're lucky, we may soon be able to fill that gap. For some time now, scientists have wondered if a regular planet—not a dwarf planet—could explain some of the clustering of objects in the Kuiper Belt that starts at Neptune and extends outward from our Solar System. (Pluto is considered a Kuiper Belt object.) This hypothetical Planet 9 has never been directly observed and remains theoretical, but in new research uploaded to the preprint site arXiV, scientists share a very educated guess about the location of the long-theorized celestial body. (This study is not yet peer reviewed, but it follows a presentation from a 2024 conference and is listed as "Accepted for publication in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia (PASA).") Since the demotion of Pluto to dwarf planet, there's been a ninth-planet-shaped hole in the hearts of many Earthlings. How will we remember what My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us now? Well, if we're lucky, we may soon be able to fill that gap. For some time now, scientists have wondered if a regular planet—not a dwarf planet—could explain some of the clustering of objects in the Kuiper Belt that starts at Neptune and extends outward from our Solar System. (Pluto is considered a Kuiper Belt object.) This hypothetical Planet 9 has never been directly observed and remains theoretical, but in new research uploaded to the preprint site arXiV, scientists share a very educated guess about the location of the long-theorized celestial body. (This study is not yet peer reviewed, but it follows a presentation from a 2024 conference and is listed as "Accepted for publication in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia (PASA).") Read More Read More Lego's 2025 Star Wars Day Drop Might Just Be Its Best One Yet Lego is releasing some insane sets ahead of Star Wars Day on May the Fourth. Read More A Study Reveals the Place Where Time Moves 9% Slower for Humans There's a mysterious dilation happening in this location. Read More Milwaukee Takes the Top Spot Among the Best Cordless Drills. Here's Why. I put several models through their paces in my workshop. Here's my take on each. Read More Trimming Trees This Spring? Protect Yourself with Chainsaw Chaps Stay safe and productive with the right protective clothing. Read More Psychedelic Trips Defy Words—That's the Key to Unlocking Higher Consciousness, Scientists Say People experience an inability to describe psychedelic experiences. Some researchers say this is because language itself may be a filter that blocks deeper truths. Read More Need Assistance? Contact Us. Follow Us Unsubscribe | Privacy Notice | CA Notice at Collection Popular Mechanics is a publication of Hearst Magazines. ©2025 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent by Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019-3779