Evidence of ninth planet in solar system

Scientists say they have strong evidence that there is a ninth planet in our solar system orbiting far beyond even the dwarf world Pluto. The hypothetical “Planet X” has yet to be observed

Orbits of six Kuiper Belt

EVIDENCE:

Kuiper

Belt

Jupiter

objects (shown in white) appear to

be influenced by unknown planet

Pluto

Saturn

2007 TG422

Uranus

2013 RF98

2004 VN112

Neptune

Sedna

2012 VP113

2012 GB174

Possible orbit

of ninth planet,

“Planet X”

Neptune

PLANETS COMPARED

Planet X is likely to

conform to most common

size of exoplanet detected

in other star systems –

possibly two to four

times diameter

of Earth

Planet X

Earth

(Earth = 1)

Mass

1

10

17

(Earth years)

Length of year

1

10,000 to 20,000

164.8

(km)

Distance from sun

150 million

60 billion

4.5 billion

Sources: Caltech, Science, wire agencies

Pictures: NASA