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Giant Ninth Planet Discovered and Then Some
In January of this year Caltech researchers noted they had discovered evidence of a giant ninth planet following a highly elongated orbit out beyond Neptune. The scientists at Caltech, renowned for comparatively fecund whimsy among traditionally staid academic circles, immediately dubbed their discovery “Planet 9”.
Now comes word from the University of Lund, in Sweden, that "Planet 9" wasn't originally even a part of our solar system, that it is, instead, an exoplanet pilfered from another system when our own was fairly young.
"It is almost ironic that while astronomers often find exoplanets hundreds of light years away in other solar systems, there's probably one hiding in our own backyard," said Senior research fellow (forkare) Alexander Mustill, in a scientifically cheeky press release earlier today. Among other things Mustill found nearly ironic were non-stick labels stuck to cookery items and plastic package openers in impossible to open plastic packages.
No word on whether any effort is underway to discover the system from which “Planet 9” was purloined or whether, if ascertained, any effort would be made to return it.
Giant Ninth Planet Discovered and Then Some
In January of this year Caltech researchers noted they had discovered evidence of a giant ninth planet following a highly elongated orbit out beyond Neptune. The scientists at Caltech, renowned for comparatively fecund whimsy among traditionally staid academic circles, immediately dubbed their discovery “Planet 9”.
Now comes word from the University of Lund, in Sweden, that "Planet 9" wasn't originally even a part of our solar system, that it is, instead, an exoplanet pilfered from another system when our own was fairly young.
"It is almost ironic that while astronomers often find exoplanets hundreds of light years away in other solar systems, there's probably one hiding in our own backyard," said Senior research fellow (forkare) Alexander Mustill, in a scientifically cheeky press release earlier today. Among other things Mustill found nearly ironic were non-stick labels stuck to cookery items and plastic package openers in impossible to open plastic packages.
No word on whether any effort is underway to discover the system from which “Planet 9” was purloined or whether, if ascertained, any effort would be made to return it.
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