Free Astronomy Magazine

PLANETOLOGY 28 MAY-JUNE 2014 The latest infrared sky mapping has confirmed that there is no planet of significant mass with an orbit between that of Neptune and the Oort Cloud. Among the thousands of new objects discovered around the Sun, no one seems to correspond to Planet X or a variant thereof. Planet X and a shattered P lanet X is without a doubt one of the greatest myths of astronomy of re- cent centuries. Its as much mysterious as hypothetical existence has always at- tracted the general public’s attention, becom- ing in time the connecting link between science fiction and astronomical disciplines, and favouring at times an increased inter- est towards these latter ones. Like any myth that has the potential to enchant and in- spire, also that of Planet X has over time been fuelled by the most diverse arguments and interpretations, so as to be identified at times as a mere planetary body, some- times as a small star, or as something half- way between the two. Some more daring theories have ended up distorting in many ways a basic reality, which roots lie in pure N ew and more restrictive lim- its were placed on the presence beyond Neptune’s orbit of giant plan- ets like the one shown here. If any planets exist, they are dwarfs.