Astronomers reveal the discovery of a new world in our solar system

The universe is so vast that numerous discoveries are made every year, such as this immense reservoir of water that has astonished scientists. But sometimes, you don't have to look very far. Indeed, our solar system also has a few surprises in store, and although it is currently being traversed by an interstellar object, researchers have discovered a new world using the Subaru telescope. 

Officially named 2023 KQ14 and nicknamed “Ammonite,” this new celestial body is part of the sednoids, which are trans-Neptunian objects with unique orbits located on the outskirts of the solar system. And that's not all, because it was discovered in 2023 as part of the FOSSIL project, when researchers used the Subaru telescope's wide-field prime-focus camera Hyper Suprime-Cam.

Subsequently, new observations were made in 2024 with the help of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. But other factors must be taken into account, as this object had already been observed in 2005, 2014, and 2021. By combining the data stored during these various observations, scientists were able to identify the unique orbit of this space object. 

Ammonite measures between 220 and 380 km in diameter and has a highly elliptical orbit. When it is at its closest point to the sun, it is between 50 and 75 astronomical units away. Conversely, when it is at its aphelion, or furthest point from our star, it is approximately 252 astronomical units away.

But that's not all, because according to simulations carried out by scientists and published on July 14 in the journal Nature Astronomy, its orbit has been stable for 4.5 billion years. And it shows that the outer solar system is very diverse, although it is still very mysterious. In addition, another factor concerns Ammonite's orbit and the hypothetical Planet Nine.

Indeed, it is not similar to those of the three other sednoids that have been discovered in the past. According to Dr. Yukun Huang of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan: “The fact that Ammonite's current orbit does not align with those of the other three sednoids lowers the likelihood of the Planet Nine hypothesis. It is possible that a planet once existed in the Solar System but was later ejected, causing the unusual orbits we see today." 

Therefore, this discovery could help astronomers around the world shed light on this probable ninth planet. However, this is a giant leap forward for scientists, as Dr. Fumi Yoshida explains: "Ammonite was found in a region far away where Neptune's gravity has little influence. The presence of objects with elongated orbits and large perihelion distances in this area implies that something extraordinary occurred during the ancient era when Ammonite formed. Understanding the orbital evolution and physical properties of these unique, distant objects is crucial for comprehending the full history of the Solar System."