Researchers speculate about possible invasion of a nomad planet in the Solar system, located in the mysterious Oort cloud, a vast remote region made up of thousands of orbiting icy bodies.
Such an intriguing discovery has raised questions about the possible identity of this celestial body, with speculation that it could be the mythical Planet X, first mentioned by astronomer Percival Lowell in 1906.
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These are celestial bodies that float freely through the galaxy, without orbiting any star, and their detection is extremely difficult due to their solitary nature.
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is a device designed to expand the search for these objects in space.
An international team of scientists recently conducted research that suggests the existence of a never-before-seen world in the Oort cloud.
Their simulations explored unstable planetary systems, where some objects can be ejected due to gravitational interactions and end up in different orbits, becoming “nomadic planets”.
The analysis pointed to a 7% probability that one such exoplanet was trapped in the Oort cloud, with a 0.5% chance that it moved to a different remote orbit. It is noteworthy that the study is still awaiting peer review.
(Image: Disclosure)
The Oort cloud is an enigmatic and fascinating region, estimated to contain a few trillion comets, including billions with diameters greater than 20 km.
Located about 2 thousand astronomical units from Sun, is an area littered with debris and planetary objects captured by its gravitational pull.
Investigating the objects present in the cloud is a challenge for astronomers due to the extreme distance of light sources, including the Sun.
However, better understanding the Oort Cloud is of great interest, as it is believed to contain icy rocks that preserve their original features.
Such celestial bodies untouched by the Sun can provide crucial information about the conditions of the Solar System in its initial phase, around 4.5 billion years ago.
With the confirmation of the existence of more than 5 thousand exoplanets by NASA, the search for these worlds continues to play a significant role in space exploration efforts, driving initiatives such as the Learning Universe: Observation of Exoplanets, which encourages collaboration and active participation by enthusiasts and scientists interested in studying the space.
The mystery surrounding the Oort cloud continues to attract the attention of researchers, who hope to unlock the hidden secrets in this distant and fascinating region of our Solar System.
