The so-called Planet Nine could be comprised of an iron core, a silicate mantle, a layer of ices followed by a gas layer, according to a study from the University of Bern. After being discovered recently, Planet Nine has awakened astrophysicists’ curiosity about the planet’s appearance as well as what it contains within.

Although many theories on the planet’s qualities have come up after the Planet Nine was discovered, several light-years away from the furthest planet Pluto, none of them are yet confirmed.

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Planet Nine is thought to be gaseous, similar to Uranus and Neptune; hypothetical lightning lights up the night side. Image credit: R. Hurt, IPAC / Caltech.

However, the study published Friday in the Journal Astronomy and Astrophysics gives a rather plausible outlook on the new planet. Even when the very existence of the so-called Planet Nine has not been confirmed, the planet is thought to be orbiting the sun, far away from the dwarf planet Pluto.

The appearance of Planet Nine comes as a hypothetical explanation for the movement bodies at out solar system’s edge, according to the study from the University of Bern. And it is possible for astrophysicists to have previously overlooked the planet because it’s nearly impossible to find with a telescope given its remote location from the sun. Still, researchers were able to run computer-modeling programs that were capable of suggesting the planet’s existence because of the alterations in the orbits of space debris in the Kuiper Belt.

The Kupier Belt may hold an insight on the planet

The Kupier Belt is located well beyond the planet Neptune and consists of a ring made of icy space debris. The study led by astrophysicists Christoph Mordasini suggests Planet Nine be quite similar to Uranus, only smaller. The Planet Nine could also make Earth look like a bouncy ball considering the planet could have 10 times the mass of Earth. Finding a new planet in our Solar System could present not only a breakthrough on the way planets are detected but also, give astrophysicists a whole new world to explore.

Amazingly enough, Planet Nine – given that does in fact exist – has attracted researchers’ attention worldwide. Lead author of the study, astrophysics Professor Mordasini was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation as well as by the National Center for Competence in Research.

With their support, Prof. Mordasini alongside Ph.D. student Esther Linder could devote themselves to clear the midst around Planet Nine. Nevertheless, further studies are yet to be realized in order to find if the planet does in fact exists. For now, every theory is a valid one, considering there’s nothing about this planet and every opinion could count.

Planet Nine origins and crazier theories

Michael Brown and Konstantin Batygin presumably discovered planet Nine early this year. Both are astrophysicists at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, and their proposal for a new planet has taken the science community by storm. Even though Planet Nine remains on people’s imagination for the time being, Professor Christoph claims this is due to the remote location of the planet in comparison to Earth.

The planet is so far-off, another study suggests Planet Nine is actually an exoplanet outside the solar system and it’s orbiting its own host star. This study, led by Alexander Mustill from the Lund Observatory sounds crazy enough to be possible, yet the chances for this to happen go from 0.1 percent to 2 percent in odds.

This theory would suggest the sun from the solar system actually attracted Planet Nine from its host star, making it a hypothetical space crime. As the sun purportedly stole the planet from a passing star, says the study led by Mustill.

Source: Christian Science Monitor