Scientists are increasingly intrigued by the possibility of a mysterious planet beyond Neptune known as ‘Planet 9.’ This hypothesized planet remains elusive due to its vast distance, making it a faint object on the edge of detectability. The area of the sky that needs to be explored to find it is enormous.
An advanced facility in Chile might soon aid in this challenging search. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, a collaborative project between the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy (DOE), has been in development for several years. Perched on a mountaintop, this observatory is being prepared for its extensive mission.
Once operational, the Rubin Observatory aims to conduct a decade-long survey, capturing images of nearly the entire southern sky. This ambitious mission will enhance our understanding of the cosmos and potentially reveal the elusive Planet 9.
This topic was explored by science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce. You can find more of her work here.
If you are fascinated by the mysteries of space, consider reaching out with your interests at [email protected]. For more stories related to space, you can listen to the podcast ‘Short Wave’ on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Supporting NPR’s work is possible by subscribing to Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave, which offers sponsor-free episodes.
This episode involved contributions from producer Rachel Carlson and editor Rebecca Ramirez. Fact-checking was handled by Tyler Jones and audio engineering by Kwesi Lee.
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