A mysterious, enormous celestial object dubbed 2017 OF201 has been discovered lurking at the edge of our solar system, sparking debate among astronomers and challenging theories on the existence of Planet Nine.
It’s absolutely enormous. The latest discovery by scientists has left them intrigued and wondering about the possibilities of our solar system. A highly unusual celestial object, dubbed ‘2017 OF201’ , has been spotted lurking at the edge of our solar system, sparking debate among astronomers.
This trans-Neptunian object is believed to be large enough to qualify as a dwarf planet, making it an ‘extreme ‘cousin’ of Pluto‘ . Its enormous size and immense distance from the Sun set it apart from other objects in the region. The object’s aphelion – the farthest point on its orbit from the Sun – is more than 1600 times that of Earth‘s orbit.
The team proposes that ‘2017 OF201’ went through a series of complex maneuvers to end up in its unusual trajectory. It’s possible that this object was first ejected to the Oort cloud, the most distant region in our solar system, which is home to many comets, and then sent back. Theories suggest that there may have been more than one step in its migration.
Planet X, also known as Nibiru, is a hypothetical planet in our solar system.
The concept of Planet X was first proposed by astronomer Percival Lowell in the early 20th century.
According to some theories, it's a large, undiscovered world that orbits the Sun at an extremely distant and eccentric path.
However, numerous searches have failed to detect any evidence of its existence.
Some speculate that Planet X could be responsible for periodic changes in the orbit of Uranus, but this theory remains unproven.
The findings could challenge the hypothesis of a ninth planet, dubbed ‘Planet X or Nine’ , whose immense gravitational pull could be causing trans-Neptunian objects in the region to act unusually. However, ‘2017 OF201’ isn’t part of the observed clusters of objects that ‘cluster in specific orientations’ , which has been found to have strange gravitational characteristics.
Spotting other weird ‘cousins’ of Pluto in the far reaches of the solar system could prove extremely difficult. The presence of ‘2017 OF201’ suggests that there could be another hundred or so other objects with similar orbit and size; they are just too far away to be detectable now.
Pluto is a dwarf planet located in the outer reaches of the solar system.
It was discovered in 1930 by American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh and initially considered to be the ninth planet in our solar system.
However, in 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) reclassified Pluto as a dwarf planet due to its small size and unique orbit.
Pluto is about 1,475 miles (2,374 kilometers) in diameter and has a highly eccentric orbit that takes it as close as 29.7 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun and as far as 49.3 AU from the Sun.
As scientists continue to explore distant parts of our universe, there is still a great deal to discover about our own solar system. The discovery of ‘2017 OF201’ highlights the importance of continued exploration and research into the mysteries of our cosmos.
- futurism.com | Scientists Detect Mysterious Object in Deep Solar System
