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Newsflash: Tyche is frikkin' HUGE

Dante

By Dante
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Dante Newbie

Dante

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Scientists, telescope hunt massive hidden object in space

 

 

You know how you sometimes can sense that something is present even though you can't see it? Well, astronomers are getting that feeling about a giant, hidden object in space.

 

And when we say giant, we mean GIANT.

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Evidence is mounting that either a brown dwarf star or a gas giant planet is lurking at the outermost reaches of our solar system, far beyond Pluto. The theoretical object, dubbed Tyche, is estimated to be four times the size of Jupiter and 15,000 times farther from the sun than Earth, according to a story in the British paper The Independent.

 

Astrophysicists John Matese and Daniel Whitmire from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette think data from NASA's infrared space telescope WISE will confirm Tyche's existence and location within two years.

 

The presence of such a massive object in the solar system's far-flung Oort Cloud could explain a barrage of comets from an unexpected direction, according to a December article at Space.com.

 

Its 27 million-year orbit could also explain a pattern of mass extinctions on Earth, scientists say.

 

Brown dwarfs are cold "failed" stars; their dimness and lack of heat radiation can make them hard to detect. Gas giants are huge planets – like Saturn, Jupiter and Neptune – that are made up of gases and may lack a solid surface like Earth's.

 

Whitmire told The Independent that Tyche will probably be composed of hydrogen and helium and have colorful spots, bands and clouds like Jupiter.

 

"You'd also expect it to have moons," he said. "All the outer planets have them."

 

Tyche was first hypothesized in 1984 as Nemesis, a dark companion star to the sun. It's been the subject of astronomical research and debate ever since. In July, another Space.com article said the celestial evidence suggests Tyche could not possibly exist.

 

To distinguish it from the Nemesis star theory, Matese and Whitmire are calling their object Tyche, after the good sister of the goddess Nemesis in Greek mythology.

 

Their research is published in Icarus, the International Journal of Solar System Studies.

 

Largest planet in the solar system?

Scientists believe they may have found a new planet in the far reaches of the solar system, up to four times the mass of Jupiter.

 

Its orbit would be thousands of times further from the Sun than the Earth's - which could explain why it has so far remained undiscovered.

 

Data which could prove the existence of Tyche, a gas giant in the outer Oort Cloud, is set to be released later this year - although some believe proof has already been garnered by Nasa with its pace telescope, Wise, and is waiting to be pored over.

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Prof Daniel Whitmire from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette believes the data may prove Tyche's existence within two years.

 

He told the Independent: 'If it does, [fellow astrophysicist Prof John Matese] and I will be doing cartwheels. And that's not easy at our age.'

 

He added he believes it will mainly be made of hydrogen and helium, with an atmosphere like Jupiter's, with spots and rings and clouds, adding: 'You'd also expect it to have moons. All the outer planets have them.'

 

He believes the planet is so huge, it will ahve a raised temperature left from its formation that will make it far higher than others, such as Pluto, at -73C, as 'it takes an object this size a long time to cool off'.

 

He and Prof Matese first suggested Tyche existed because of the angle comets were arriving, with a fifth of the expected number since 1898 entering higher than expected.

 

However, Tyche - if it exists - should also dislodge comets closer to home, from the inner Oort Cloud, but they have not been seen.

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If confirmed, the status and name of the new planet - which would become the ninth and potentially the largest - would then have to be agreed by the International Astronomical Union.

 

Currently named Tyche, from the Greek goddess that governed the destiny of a city, its name may have to change, as it originated from a theory which has now been largely abandoned.

Edited by Dante
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chairdriver Newbie

chairdriver

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Size can awe/stun/paralyse people. Get over it.

 

I don't understand though. I was awed when I was 6 years old reading that Pluto is (somenumber)x10^(someMASSSIVEnumber)kms across, and in the 13 years since have treated the fact that THINGS IN SPACE ARE BIG as a thing.

 

 

I don't get why everyone is still so wowed by it.

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Retro_Link Newbie

Retro_Link

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But then we'll have to include loads of other planets.
Well they're more like asteroids, and technically yes, but I don't see why we can't just keep this little fella and leave the rest. I always thought Pluto had good character as the small ice planet of our solar system.

 

Also, if they're thinkibg they may one day find and include whatever this thing is, really they'd have to look at including the objects inside of its orbit. Or maybe just have them as a second meteor belt.

Edited by Retro_Link
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Charlie Newbie

Charlie

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Well yeah, point I was making. Even the smallest is massive.

 

Your point is still irrelevant though. The size isn't really the issue here, it's the fact that there may be a new planet in our solar system which we didn't know about before and this planet could be the reason why there have been mass extinctions in the past.

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Grazza Newbie

Grazza

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I'm very ignorant about space, but I've got a few thoughts...

 

Firstly, I wonder why Voyager 1 didn't see this? As far as I'm aware, that probe has left our Solar System. Plus, we know about other objects at the edge of the Solar System, like Sedna, so why wasn't this visible? In the wrong place, I suppose?

 

Secondly, how would it cause mass extinctions on Earth? A massively elliptical orbit, or does it just throw asteroids our way?

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Jonnas Enthusiast

Jonnas

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Secondly, how would it cause mass extinctions on Earth? A massively elliptical orbit, or does it just throw asteroids our way?

 

I read that as being the "asteroids" part. Though, thinking about it better, it's probably just massive speculation, otherwise, the article would've made a bigger deal out of it.

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Cube Collaborator

Cube

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Firstly, I wonder why Voyager 1 didn't see this? As far as I'm aware, that probe has left our Solar System. Plus, we know about other objects at the edge of the Solar System, like Sedna, so why wasn't this visible? In the wrong place, I suppose?

 

It could be on the opposite side of the Solar System to Voyager 1.

 

Secondly, how would it cause mass extinctions on Earth? A massively elliptical orbit, or does it just throw asteroids our way?

 

The gravity of the planet would cause the asteroids/comets in the area to lose orbit, sending them straight for the sun or anything that gets in their way (like Earth).

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Jimbob Rookie

Jimbob

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If it exists it'll be a good replacement for Pluto.

 

Indeed it will, and like the report said the new "Ninth" planet. Schools have taught children wrong with having Pluto as the 9th, when it wasn't large enough and proven it isn't a planet.

 

Still, if it does exist it is one mother of a planet.

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heroicjanitor Newbie

heroicjanitor

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If it doesn't exist do they have any other explanations for their data? Is their data any good even? Seems like a hopeful guess to me. I thought they noticed a wobble in a planet's orbit or a bend in light or something which means a big source of gravity. Just an explanation for comets though :blank:

 

Actually the comets arriving is probably the evidence for gravity... Ask Watson, he probably knows.

Edited by heroicjanitor
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Grazza Newbie

Grazza

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Thanks for the explanations. Just to clarify, does everything in the Solar System orbit the Sun (I think that's the definition of it, but I'm just checking)? If so, would there be periods where Tyche would be closer to us than others? What I'm saying is that it may have been near the Earth before, but this is the first time we've got technology that can (nearly) see it.

 

If it exists, I'm sure they'll be sending probes there soon. Very exciting.

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jayseven Newbie

jayseven

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Grazza; for sure, at some point it may be closer to us but it's still such a massive distance away that it really makes no difference. As for this asteroid thing... well seeing as it's been existing the entire time, I don't really think it's any big(ger) deal now that we've discovered it.

 

Unless, y'know, the earth really was flat before we discovered it was round.

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