NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / World

The hunt for the elusive Planet Nine could soon provide an answer to solar system mystery

By Nick Whigham
news.com.au·
22 Oct, 2016 11:42 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The hunt for the elusive Planet Nine could be over within 16 months, according to one of the scientists who first predicted its existence.

The hunt for the elusive Planet Nine could be over within 16 months, according to one of the scientists who first predicted its existence.

The hunt for the elusive Planet Nine could be over within 16 months, according to one of the scientists who first predicted its existence.

The mammoth celestial body has so far escaped our detection but the currently hypothetical planet which is believed to sit at the edge of our solar system certainly seems to make its presence known.

The scientists who first suggested its existence earlier this year believe they've found further proof of the influence it yields over its cosmic neighbours.

Researchers the University of Technology California claim Planet Nine is responsible for causing the solar system to "wobble" due to its massive size.

Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown first discovered the planet's existence through mathematical modelling and computer simulations. They presented their evidence in January but the world has not yet been able to observe the planet directly.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Even though its believed to be 10 times the size of Earth, it has likely escaped the gaze of telescopes because it is so far away from the Sun.

This week the pair of scientists, along with fellow astronomer Elizabeth Bailey, stoked the flames of speculation by presenting a study at the annual meeting of planetary scientists of the American Astronomical Society claiming the mysterious planet is responsible for the perceived tilt of the sun.

We've known that the sun's rotational axis is tilted for about 200 years, but scientists have never understood exactly why.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Bailey, Batygin and Brown believe a large planet lurking in the depths of the solar system is responsible and the latest addition to their theory was published this week by the Astrophysical Journal.

"Because Planet Nine is so massive and has an orbit tilted compared to the other planets, the solar system has no choice but to slowly twist out of alignment," lead author Elizabeth Bailey said in a statement.

The sun rotates on a different axis to all the other planets. Earth, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Uranus, Neptune, Saturn and Jupiter all share a common plane but for some reason it is tilted by about six degrees in relation to the sun - causing our perception that the sun is tilted.

It's a quirk that has long troubled scientists.

Discover more

World

Weird space rock evidence of Planet Nine

22 May 12:17 AM

"It's such a deep-rooted mystery and so difficult to explain that people just don't talk about it," said Mr Brown. "If you ask yourself where the sun is tilted in real life there's where we predict it should be," he added

He believes it's a matter of time until we have visual confirmation of Planet Nine saying he is "pretty sure" we'll track it down within about 16 months.

"I think that there'll be enough people looking for it that ... somebody's actually going to track this down," he said.

At the "next one of these (conferences) we'll be talking about finding Planet Nine instead of just looking for it," he added.

For now, researchers are left to speculating over the mind boggling measurements associated with the elusive space body.

Thought to be roughly 10 times the mass of planet Earth, scientists believe it lies hundreds of astronomical units from the sun. One astronomical unit is the mean distance between the earth and the sun which equates to 149.6 million kilometres.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

They also think it would take the planet between 10,000 and 20,000 years to make just one full orbit around the sun.

It's important to remember that at this point, the planet is still very much hypothetical. But the theory is underpinned by the measurement of unusual outcomes in the solar system which are otherwise tough to explain.

It is the same technique astronomers used to find Neptune.

NASA has previously warned that it is too early to confirm the existence of Planet Nine for certain but pledged "if it's there, we'll find it."

Some science buffs have long believed in the existence of a distant ninth planet, but there was never any real evidence to support such a claim.

However that has certainly changed this year with a number of papers published supporting the idea.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

When proposed, the theory was well received by the scientific community and it has been gaining momentum ever since.

Astronomer Alessandro Morbidelli who works at an observatory in Nice, France believes Batygin and Brown's work provides a compelling answer to the state of the solar system.

"I don't see any alternative explanation to that offered by Batygin and Brown," he told The Washington Post at the time.

"We will find it one day," he added. "The question is when."

But for now, the hunt is on.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from World

World

Hemp bevs: US states crack down on cannabis drink craze

18 Jun 06:00 PM
Premium
World

The name is Bot, James Bot: AI tools infiltrate spying

18 Jun 06:00 PM
WorldUpdated

Iran warns of new attack against Israel

18 Jun 05:28 PM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from World

Hemp bevs: US states crack down on cannabis drink craze

Hemp bevs: US states crack down on cannabis drink craze

18 Jun 06:00 PM

States are banning intoxicating cannabis drinks due to rising popularity.

Premium
The name is Bot, James Bot: AI tools infiltrate spying

The name is Bot, James Bot: AI tools infiltrate spying

18 Jun 06:00 PM
Iran warns of new attack against Israel

Iran warns of new attack against Israel

18 Jun 05:28 PM
Premium
Who is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader?

Who is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader?

18 Jun 05:00 PM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP