Planet Nine Search Intensifies with Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile

The search for the hypothetical Planet Nine is expected to gain significant momentum with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, slated to begin operations in early 2025. This advanced telescope is poised to offer astronomers a powerful new tool for exploring the solar system's outer reaches. The existence of Planet Nine has been proposed to explain the unusual clustering of the orbits of several extreme trans-Neptunian objects (ETNOs), such as Sedna, which was discovered in 2004. Scientists estimate that Planet Nine could have a mass five to ten times that of Earth and orbit the Sun at a distance of 400 to 800 astronomical units (AU). The Vera C. Rubin Observatory will survey the region beyond the Kuiper Belt, where these ETNOs reside. With its advanced capabilities, the observatory is well-positioned to either confirm or refute the existence of this elusive planet, potentially resolving a long-standing mystery in our solar system. Some astronomers believe Planet Nine could be discovered within the first year of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory.