planet nine

Astronomers searching for an undiscovered planet in the outer solar system hope to catch a glimpse of it Thursday through the Subaru Telescope located on top of Hawaii's Mauna Kea mountain.

Science

Astronomers Seeking Planet 9 Hope To Soon Catch A Glimpse

4:19pm December 29, 2016

by Joe Palca

Scientists will search the sky Thursday for an undiscovered planet in the outer solar system — they're pretty sure it's out there, and computer models tell them where to look.

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The Dark Energy Camera, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy to make a map of distant galaxies, is mounted on the Blanco Telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in the Chilean Andes.

A Friend For Pluto: Astronomers Find New Dwarf Planet In Our Solar System

1:33pm October 11, 2016

by Joe Palca

The object known for now as 2014 UZ224 is only about 330 miles across and takes 1,100 years to orbit the sun. But one of the most interesting things about it is the way researchers found it.

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The Japanese Subaru Telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii has the right attributes for searching for Planet Nine.

Astronomers Are On A Celestial Treasure Hunt. The Prize? Planet Nine

9:14am August 13, 2016

by Joe Palca

Earlier this year, a pair of scientists predicted the existence of a ninth planet based on computer modeling of the solar system. This fall, the race is on to be the first to spot it in a telescope.

The imagined view from "planet nine" back toward the sun. Astronomers think the huge, distant planet is likely gaseous, similar to Uranus and Neptune.

Hey! Let's Name That New 'Planet'

3:54pm January 20, 2016

by Eyder Peralta

Planet Nine, as scientists are calling it, deserves a better name if it becomes reality. Should it be Plutoo? Or Plutwo? Yeah, we know you can do better, so come brainstorm with us.