![]() ![]() Why our solar system doesn't contain a world within this mass range is a puzzle, but if Planet Nine really is out there, it would be a profound historic discovery that would reshape our understanding of the system of planets that orbit our sun. Studies of other star systems reveal that exoplanets between the masses of Earth and Neptune are relatively common. The possibility of a large world orbiting the sun at such a huge distance is captivating. If it exists, Planet Nine takes between 10,000 and 20,000 years to complete just one orbit! Since one AU is the average distance Earth orbits the sun, that's 10-20 times the orbital distance at which Pluto orbits the sun. Planet Nine is thought to be a rather more substantial world, however, with a mass of around five to 10 Earth masses, scooting around the sun at an average distance of 400 to 800 astronomical units, or AUs. ![]() The solar system is a big place and, while our astronomical techniques are rapidly advancing, many tiny worlds in the outer solar system have yet to be found. ![]()
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