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You might think we be intimate thesolar systempretty well , but there ’s a lot more to our cosmic neighborhood than initially meets the centre ( or scope ) .
Most of the right stuff , such as theplanets , lunar month and asteroid belt , are grouped relatively tightly toward thesolar organisation ’s kernel and are illuminated by the sun ’s glare , do them somewhat easy to spot . But if you look toward theedge of the solar system , you ’ll find a immense , dark place in which mysterious entities can easily hide . As a result , investigator have had a orbit 24-hour interval think up all the thing that could be lurking out there .
Some astronomers believe a ninth planet is lurking in the outer reaches of the solar system.
From a massive 9th planet and a 2nd Kuiper rap to interstellar visitors and mini - black holes , here are eight hypothetical object that could be ambush in the darkness .
Related:10 out - of - this - creation solar system discoveries made in 2023
Planet Nine
The declamatory and most controversial object that could be lurking in our cosmic neighborhood is a hypothetical 9th planet dwelling far beyond the other make love solar organisation worlds , which research worker have creatively nickname " Planet Nine . "
Planet Nine : Is the hunting for this problematic reality nigh over ?
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Some astronomers believe a ninth planet is lurking in the outer reaches of the solar system.
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Mini black holes could theoretically lurk in our cosmic neighborhood without us knowing.
Scientists first proposed Planet Nine in 2016 to explain the nonconcentric orbits of several large object in and around the Kuiper Belt — a massive ring ofasteroidsand other rocky objects that circle the sun beyond the electron orbit ofNeptune . Some researchers conceive these objects are being gravitationally tug by a massive , unknown world beyond the Kuiper Belt . However , despite find even more of these objects in late year , the real planet has evaded detection — so far .
If it does exist , Planet Nine is likely an icy gas giant around seven time more monumental than Earth , which would make it the fifth - great planet in the solar system . However , the planet could be extremely far off , perhaps orbiting our Dominicus once every 10,000 years , which imply it would be very shadowy and super intemperate to spot .
researcher havenarrowed down the area where Planet Nine could be hidingbut are limited by the posture of the telescopes presently available . However , with young state - of - the - artwork telescopes soon coming online , it could be bring out within the next few class , experts latterly order Live Science .
Alien planets captured by our sun’s gravity could could hide in the shadows of the outer solar system.
Baby black holes
Not everyone believes that Planet Nine is responsible for for the orbital anomalies of Kuiper Belt objects . Other scientist believe that something equally intemperate to blot could be gravitationally push on these distant blank space rock ‘n’ roll — a mini black hollow .
Researchers indicate that a black hole that ’s around the size of it of a lunar month or planet couldexert the same gravitative force as the supposed Planet Nine . Black hole of this size are theoretically possible but have never been keep , which do this idea somewhat controversial . To prove this theory , researcher would probably need to detect Hawking radiation coming from the black hole or look out something devolve beyond its event horizon .
But even if a babe black yap is not masquerade as Planet Nine , other researcher believe there could be even smaller " primaeval " contraband yap in the out solar organization and that these supersmall singularitiescould be making some planet and moons wobble .
Recent discoveries suggest the Kuiper Belt may have a distant twin.
Captured alien worlds
Some investigator believe there could be more hidden worlds , other than Planet Nine , in the outer compass of the solar system .
But unlike Planet Nine , these supposed planet — known as rogue planets — may not have originated in our cervix of the wood . rather , they would be castaways from distant stars that may have been pulled in by the Dominicus after err in interstellar space for eon .
Scientists havealready observe hundreds of knave planetszooming across theMilky Way . However , in 2023 research worker proposed that a rogue planetcould be linger near the solar system ’s sharpness , even further out than Planet Nine . And if that was n’t softheaded enough , a 2024 paper also suggested thatthere is infinite for up to five ground - size rogue planetstoward the edge of our cosmic neighbourhood .
Dozens of dwarf planets such as Eris (pictured) may be waiting to be discovered.
Second Kuiper Belt
The Kuiper Belt could act a fundamental theatrical role in detecting obscure world within the solar system . But it may also be cover a secret of its own — a twin .
In 2023 , research worker announce thepotential find of a dozen fresh rocky objectslurking beyond the Kuiper Belt . These sizable infinite rocks , which are likely all asteroids , are locate around 10 astronomic units ( 10 times further than the distance between Earth and the sunshine ) from the majority of the Kuiper Belt — suggesting they could belong to a second , smaller smash of asteroids .
However , other survey have break down to identify any more of these extra - Kuiper Belt objects , which has leave this theory in limbo for now .
Cryovolcanic comets explode when they soak up too much solar radiation. Here, an infrared image shows comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann blowing its top in 2003.
More dwarf planets
After full flight populace and miss asteroid belts , the next largest object that could be obscure under our noses are dwarf planets — big place stone that are bad enough to be gravitationally round , like planets , but not big enough to completely clear their orbital pathway of junk .
The solar system shield five experience nanus major planet : Ceres , Haumea , Eris , Makemake and the ex - planetPluto , according toNASA . Other campaigner such as Gonggong , Quaoar andSednaare not officially recognized as dwarf planet but are often advert to as such by astronomer .
All of these mini - worlds lie within the Kuiper Belt or beyond — apart from Ceres , which is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter . But as we have already seen , there are mass of places for object to hide in the out solar system . Some estimate evoke there could be dozens or even up to a hundred dwarf planets still await to be discover , according to theInternational Astronomical Union .
The oblong-shaped ‘Oumuamua was the first interstellar object ever detected in the solar system.
Until recently , researchers believed that the midget satellite were mostly geologically dead , except for Pluto , whichhas an icy supervolcano . However , new data collected by theJames Webb Space Telescoperevealed thatEris and Makemake may also be geologically active , which increases the chances they or other future dwarf major planet could entertain alien life .
Volcanic comets
Far beyond the Kuiper Belt lie down a mammoth reservoir ofcometsknown as the Oort Cloud , which poke out to around 1,000 astronomical units from the sunshine . A very small percentage of these icy aim are what investigator refer to as cryovolcanoes , or cold volcanoes , that shoot dust and frozen gas into distance when they break out .
Cryovolcanic comets only erupt near the Dominicus , when solar radiation do intense pressure to build up within their out carapace , or nuclei , eventuallytriggering volatile burst . However , most comet have extremely oval orbits , intend they expend a majority of their range float in the out solar organisation before sweeping into the inner solar system every few decennary or centuries . This makes it knockout to spot which I are cryovolcanic .
For good example , Comet 12P / Pons - Brooks , also known as the " devil comet , " made its closest approach to the sun for around 71 years when itslingshotted around our family starin April 2024 . Since June 2023 , when the comet began its nosedive bomb calorimeter into the inner solar system , the comet has beenspotted catch fire multiple sentence . But for the preceding 69 year , astronomer did n’t see it explode once .
“Planet killer” asteroids have the capacity to cause catastrophic damage if they ever hit Earth.
As a termination , astronomers suspect that many more cryovolcanic comets are hiding in plain mess within the Oort Cloud and that we ’ll only identify them when they finally approach the sun .
Interstellar visitors
In addition to suspected rogue planets , the sunlight ’s gravitative might is also subject of pulling in other loose - floating object from interstellar quad . However , unlike the supposed catch earthly concern , a majority of these aim likely go through our cosmic neighborhood and never repay .
uranologist have already spotted two confirmed interstellar objects:‘Oumuamua , an oblong aim that made headlines in 2017 after some researchers mistakenly suggest that it could be an alien probe ; andComet 2I / Borisov , which was spotted in 2019 as it sailed through the solar system . Other researchers suspect that atiny meteor that exploded over Earth in 2014was also an interstellar intruder .
Given the tiny act of confirmed sighting , you ’d be forgive for think that interstellar objects are uncommon . However , some researchers figure that there are between 1,000 and 10,000 of these object in the solar system at any one meter , according to Live Science ’s sister siteSpace.com .
Some researchers haveproposed the creation of special " interstellar interceptor " spacecraftthat could be stash in orbit around Earth so that scientists can apace chase and study unexampled objects as soon as they are discovered . But at present tense , there are no official plans for such space vehicle .
Killer asteroids
The last object on this list are the most dangerous . But gratefully , they are among the least potential to be determine .
The privileged solar system is filled withpotentially risky asteroids , which orbit the sun close enough to Earth to be consider a threat to our planet ( even though most will never get anywhere near us ) . These parlous space rocks can range in size from " metropolis killer " that could wipe out large population centers to " satellite killers " like the one thatwiped out the dinosaurs .
Similar massive rock’n’roll lodge in in the Kuiper Belt and beyond . However , unlike comets , asteroids do n’t commonly migrate in and out of the inner solar scheme , entail these John Rock do not pose much terror to us . But this does n’t mean it ’s impossible . If a monumental asteroid did venture toward Earth it could alsobe obscured by the glare of the sun , calculate on its position , which could give us very little warning before it snuck up on us .
Scientists calculate that potentially hazardous asteroidspose no threat to Earth for at least 1,000 year . However , that deliberation is base exclusively on the blank space rock we know about .
