New research from scientists at the University of Cambridge and Complutense University of Madrid reveal the possibility of at least one undiscovered planet in our own Solar System.
Their research suggests that certain orbital behaviors observed in extreme trans-Neptunian objects (ETNOs) could be caused by planets at the far reaches of the Solar System, reports Ars Technica.
Trans-Neptunian objects are minor planets that orbit our Solar System's sun at an average distance that surpasses Neptune's, about 30 astronomical units.
Researchers collected data on about a dozen of these objects, using their unusual orbital characteristics as a basis for their theory regarding the two mystery planets.
It's important to note this is all hypothesis, for now. No other evidence besides these calculations have surfaced to prove, for certain, the existence of these planets.
Based on the research, however, scientists say the hypothetical planets would require "at least several Earth masses" to have the kind of effect on the ETNO orbits they've observed.
The researchers also conclude the paper acknowledging that their hypothesis is "difficult to reconcile" given currently accepted paradigms of cosmogony. Read the full research paper on arXiv.
As far as planets we do know about, NASA will launch a new mission in March to test the effects of prolonged space flight on humans.
This would be in preparation for what could one day mean a manned mission to Mars
No comments:
Post a Comment