Astronomers Identified Potential Ninth Planet Candidate
Researchers flagged a Neptune-sized infrared source with a 300 AU orbit using survey data.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Space
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Astronomers have identified a potential candidate for a ninth planet by comparing infrared data from legacy space missions. The candidate remains unconfirmed, having been flagged by software analyzing survey shifts over a 23-year period.
Why it matters
Identifying a ninth planet would fundamentally alter models of solar system formation and orbital dynamics. This research demonstrates how cross-mission data analysis can reveal long-period objects that are too faint for direct visible detection.
The candidate pair shifted 47.5 arcminutes over 23 years, suggesting an elliptical orbit of approximately 300 AU. This source is estimated to be 100 times fainter in infrared than visible light, making it difficult to detect with traditional observational techniques.
The players
Terry Long Phan
The researcher who identified the potential infrared candidate.
IRAS
The Infrared Astronomical Satellite, a joint mission that performed the first all-sky infrared survey.
AKARI
An infrared space telescope mission led by Japan that performed a comprehensive infrared all-sky survey.
The details
Researchers used software to compare infrared observations from the 1983 IRAS mission and the 2006 AKARI survey. The system identified 13 candidate pairs that displayed consistent movement, including one source matching the profile of a Neptune-sized planet. These surveys capture thermal radiation from space, allowing the team to identify objects that do not emit sufficient visible light.
Timeline
1983: The IRAS survey was launched to map the infrared sky.
2006: The AKARI survey was launched to continue infrared observations.
23 years: The time difference between the two survey missions used for comparison.
The Tech Race
This research extends the global search for a potential ninth planet by leveraging archival infrared data to constrain object positioning. The methodology follows long-standing efforts to resolve the orbit of outer solar system bodies that currently escape direct observation.
Future confirmation of this candidate will depend on high-resolution infrared telescope observations. No current telescope data has verified the object, meaning it remains a research-stage finding rather than a confirmed planetary body.
The takeaway
This candidate identification highlights the power of re-analyzing multi-decadal astronomical archives with modern software tools. Researchers will now look for follow-up infrared telescope data to confirm whether this source is a planet or a transient signal.
Further reading
Learn more about ongoing exploration of our solar system in the Space section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The News International.
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