How do scientists search for Planet Nine?

An artist’s illustration of a possible ninth planet in our solar system, hovering at the edge of our solar system. Neptune’s orbit is show as a bright ring around the Sun. Credit: ESO/Tom Ruen/nagualdesign

Scientists search for Planet Nine primarily using large telescopes equipped to detect faint objects in the outer solar system. The Subaru Telescope, located in Hawaii, is one key instrument for this endeavor, as it can cover vast areas of the night sky and identify distant bodies[4]. Researchers also utilize techniques such as 'shifting and stacking,' which involves processing images from telescopes to reveal moving objects by aligning and combining their light[6].

Several surveys have attempted to locate Planet Nine, including the Dark Energy Survey and the Zwicky Transient Facility, which have ruled out many regions in its predicted orbital path[5]. Despite these efforts, much of the sky remains unexplored, and astronomers continue to gather data in hopes of confirming the planet’s existence[3][4].


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