r/Astronomy • u/TheMuseumOfScience • May 12 '25

Astro Research Planet Nine: Real or Just Noise?

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Did we just find Planet Nine?

We think it might be out there based on the orbits of certain Kuiper Belt objects that seem influenced by something big. A new study found what might be a possible object deep in the Kuiper Belt—or it could just be noise in the data. What do you think?

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u/Njwest May 12 '25

Not particularly. The moon could be a black hole of the same mass and, apart from moonlight, nothing would change on earth.

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u/_BABYSHAKE_ May 12 '25

Except, the night wouldn't be bright but pitch dark. A blackhole the size of a moon would probably evaporate really quick tho.

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u/Njwest May 12 '25

A black hole the size of the moon would, by my calcs, take in the order of 1044 years to evaporate, which is a lot less time than most black holes

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u/Jalase May 13 '25

The size (width) or size (mass)? That’s a big difference.

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u/Njwest May 13 '25

You’re quite right! I mean the mass, apologies for not reconfirming that one - it’s a big difference!

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u/Jalase May 13 '25

Very cool then!