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We might just be on the verge of discovering a real Planet X, according to astronomers John Matese and Dan Whitmire. Subtle gravitational influences on comets way out in the Oort Cloud suggest there could be a huge gas giant affecting the other objects, and now NASA's Wise space telescope has given us the data to determine whether the planet really exists or not. For more on what Tyche might look like, check out The Independent - and for a little healthy skepticism about whether Tyche is really out there, check out Bad Astronomy. More »
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Far away in the frozen outermost depths of our solar system, there might be a hidden planet four times the size of Jupiter. This secret companion to the Sun could be responsible for sending comets into the inner solar system. More »
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At the furthest edges of our solar system lies the vast Oort Cloud, a hypothetical giant shell full of billions of frozen comets. Formed 4.5 billion years ago, the cloud is a frozen museum of the chemistries of neighboring stars. More »
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If you're wondering about the sunny view from the Oort Cloud, that vast sphere of debris that surrounds our solar system, here it is. As we told you yesterday, scientists now believe this remote, cold region might house another Earth-like planet. Only it would be frozen. Want to travel a little closer to the sun, and watch Jupiter rising over its frozen moon Europa? More »
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Traveling to another Earth-like world just got a lot easier. It turns out that there may be many other dirt-and-water planets lurking at the edges of our solar system in places like the Oort Cloud. These planets, which could be roughly the size of our own, would contain all the elements we need for life. They're just sitting in a cold, dimly-lit part of the solar system, waiting to be defrosted and colonized. Yesterday, NASA scientists announced that this changes the prognosis for nearby livable planets. More »
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