COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)–Researchers at the California Institute of Technology recently posited evidence of a possible new planet–called Planet Nine–orbiting the distant reaches of the solar system. The prospective planet appears to be rather large–about 5,000 times greater than Pluto, and 10 times bigger than Earth. Another fascinating aspect of prospective Planet Nine is that it could take up to 20,000 years to orbit the sun.

OSU astrophysicist Paul Sutter explained, “The astronomers think they know the orbit, but not where on that orbit the new planet is. They estimate it will take around 5 years of dedicated searching to spot it. If the new planet turns out to actually be there, it will be very strange. We’re not exactly sure how such a large planet could get that far out. It certainly didn’t form there – there’s not enough material to make something that big. “

Sutter speculated that the possible new planet could actually have come from our own solar system, or perhaps is a “captured ‘rogue’ planet from another system entirely.” The discovery of the probable new planet is based on computer modeling and various simulations, since it is not currently observable. But as Sutter pointed out, simulations have been incorrect in the past, so there is no certainty.

Dr. Wayne Schlingman, Director of the recently refurbished Ohio State Planetarium, said, “We can actually visualize what these planetary orbits are with our new technology, so we can see why some of these planets have different orbits, different characteristics.”

Back in August 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) reduced the status of the former ninth planet, Pluto, to “dwarf planet.” This put a damper on the mnemonic device for remembering the planets in sequence: “My Very Excellent Mother Just Sent Us Nine Pies” in order of distance from the sun.