• Question: do you believe there is a 9th planet in our solar system

    Asked by Murray111 to Alan, Ciorsdaidh, Lauren, Leonie, Martin, Neil, Shuo on 6 Mar 2018.
    • Photo: Leonie Bole

      Leonie Bole answered on 6 Mar 2018:

      When I was in primary school, learning about the solar system, Pluto was included as one of the planets! And so I do still count Pluto as a planet, even if it may not be scientifically correct

    • Photo: Alan McCue

      Alan McCue answered on 7 Mar 2018:

      Good question – I guess I have to look up the rules as to what is or is not a planet as like Leonie I grew up knowing Pluto as a planet. Maybe a question Martin can help with 🙂

    • Photo: Martin McCoustra

      Martin McCoustra answered on 7 Mar 2018:

      I’d agree with Leonie and Alan and would still consider Pluto as a planet. However, there are many more objects outside the orbit of Neptune in the Oort Cloud and Kuiper Belt some of which may potential be as large a Pluto. We’ll have to see if the James Webb Space Telescope can spot anything out there!

    • Photo: Neil Keddie

      Neil Keddie answered on 9 Mar 2018:

      I’ll pitch in another vote for Pluto still being a planet (even if this got me into trouble with my 7yo’s teacher about it), as when I was growing up it still counted. That said, Pluto is quite small, and there is evidence for a number of other bodies in the trans neptunian zone, so I think there is all likelihood that there is at least a 9th planet. As Martin said – we have better and better space telescopes being developed, which will let us see further and further. I think it’s just a matter of time until we find not just the 9th, but many more planets (although they may be further out than our solar system).

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