The brand new discover comes from a US-based analysis group that had been trying to find the mysterious Planet 9. Whereas they didn’t find the long-theorised big planet, their work led to the surprising discovery of 2017 OF201.
What makes 2017 OF201 totally different
In keeping with lead writer Sihao Cheng of the Institute for Advanced Study in New Jersey, the orbit of this object spans 25,000 years. Throughout that point, it’s seen from Earth for less than round 0.5 p.c of its orbit—about one century.
“It’s already getting fainter and fainter,” Cheng mentioned.
Regardless of being 3 times smaller than Pluto, the article is probably going giant sufficient to qualify as a dwarf planet. Pluto itself, as soon as thought of the ninth planet, was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006.
Newbie astronomer Sam Deen, aged 23, independently traced 2017 OF201 utilizing archival knowledge. “OF201 is, in my view, most likely probably the most fascinating discoveries within the outer photo voltaic system within the final decade,” he mentioned.
A problem to the Planet 9 idea
The idea of Planet 9 originated from observations that icy objects within the Kuiper Belt have a tendency to maneuver in clustered orbits. Scientists advised this sample is perhaps attributable to the gravitational pull of an undiscovered planet, probably as much as 10 occasions the scale of Earth.
Nevertheless, 2017 OF201 doesn’t observe the clustered sample seen in these earlier discoveries. This raises questions on whether or not the clustering is absolutely attributable to an unseen planet.
Cheng acknowledged this, saying the article’s orbit might “pose an issue for the Planet Nine theory,” although he added that extra knowledge is required earlier than drawing agency conclusions.
Samantha Lawler, an astronomer on the College of Regina in Canada, described the discover as a “nice discovery” and added that it weakens the unique argument for Planet 9. “The unique argument for Planet 9 is getting weaker and weaker,” she mentioned.
Regardless of the doubts, Cheng stays hopeful. “We’re in an period when massive telescopes can see nearly to the sting of the universe,” he mentioned. “However what’s in our yard nonetheless largely stays unknown.”
The researchers at the moment are requesting time on high-powered observatories, together with the James Webb Area Telescope and the Hubble, to review the article additional.
In the meantime, astronomers are additionally looking forward to the Vera Rubin Observatory, attributable to develop into operational in Chile this yr. Deen is optimistic. “With Vera Rubin on the horizon I don’t assume we’ll must surprise about its existence for for much longer,” he mentioned.
(With inputs from AFP)
