• _NoName_@lemmy.ml
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    5 months ago

    We’ve had “hidden” planets multiple times actually. In one case, we discovered Neptune by observing that Uranus’ orbit was wonky, and this really Bolstered peoples’ trust of Newton’s gravitational theory.

    The existence of another planet even closer to the sun than Mercury, Vulcan, was also hypothesized by the same astronomer who predicted Neptune’s existence. This was due to Mercury also having a wonky orbit. After Einstein’s general relativity came about though, it was found that no new planet was necessary to explain Mercury’s orbit.

    I think this new planet is the one predicted by Cal Tech “Planet Nine”, is supposedly 10 Earths in size, orbits on average 20 times further out than Neptune, and has a very oblong orbit out in deep space.

    As another ‘fun’ tangent, there is some debate every now and again that dark matter may demonstrate that Einstein’s Theory of Relativity is also flawed and that we’re in need of a new theory. Currently, though, there has not been a sufficient new theory to take its place, so the existence of ‘unseen’ matter still is the strongest explanation we have. I put ‘fun’ in quotes because it seems like this debate is starting to affect astronomers and physicists the same way that 'The Orangutan" affects Edgar Allen Poe experts. Video related

    • MindTraveller@lemmy.ca
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      5 months ago

      If astronomers named Vulcan before we ever saw it, then let’s name planet 9 already. I propose either Erebus (darkness) or Letum (death)

    • doughless@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Angela Collier actually goes a little more in depth in that video on why MOND is unlikely, even though she does admit it hasn’t been fully ruled out. I didn’t get the impression physicists don’t talk about it because it causes debates, which she claimed seems to happen more often on the internet. I got the impression that most physicists just think it is unlikely to go anywhere, so they just aren’t as interested in it.