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--> YouTube-Generated Transcript <--
· Introduction
0:01 · [Music]
0:04 · Astronomers may have found evidence of a
0:07 · new planet hiding in our solar system.
0:09 · And it's not planet 9. A recent study
0:12 · from Princeton University proposes the
0:15 · existence of planet Y, a smaller, closer
0:18 · world that could be subtly bending the
0:20 · orbits of distant Kyper belt objects. If
0:23 · proven, it would be the first new planet
0:26 · added to our solar system since Neptune.
0:28 · In this video, we'll explore what planet
0:31 · Y is, why scientists think it might
0:34 · exist, and what comes next in the search
0:36 · for it. Let's get started.
· The Discovery
0:41 · The idea of hidden planets isn't new.
0:44 · For more than a century, astronomers
0:46 · have speculated that unseen worlds
0:48 · beyond Neptune could explain odd
0:50 · movements among distant bodies. Pluto's
0:53 · discovery in 1930 briefly satisfied that
0:56 · curiosity, but as observations improved,
1:00 · its small mass proved inadequate to
1:02 · explain the remaining anomalies. Now,
1:05 · new data suggests there could be more
1:07 · out there. In August 2025,
1:11 · Princeton astrophysicists Amir Siraj
1:14 · along with Christopher Chiba and Scott
1:16 · Tmaine published a peer-reviewed study
1:19 · in monthly notices of the Royal
1:21 · Astronomical Society proposing planet Y,
1:25 · a hypothetical planet orbiting between
1:28 · 100 and 200 astronomical units AU from
1:32 · the sun. The researchers analyzed the
1:35 · orbits of more than 150 Kyper Belt
1:38 · objects, Kbos.
1:40 · After accounting for Neptune's
1:42 · influence, they noticed something
1:44 · unusual. The orbital planes of objects
1:47 · between 80 and 200 astronomical units
1:50 · are systematically tilted. This warp is
1:53 · small but statistically significant,
1:55 · hinting at the pole of a massive unseen
1:58 · body. To explain it, the team modeled
2:01 · multiple scenarios. gravitational
2:03 · resonance among the KBOS, the Milky Ways
2:07 · tidal influence, and past stellar
2:09 · flybys. None could reproduce the
2:12 · observed pattern as effectively as a
2:14 · single orbiting planet. Their
2:17 · calculations suggest a body 25 to 450
2:21 · times the mass of Pluto, roughly between
2:24 · Mercury and Mars in size, orbiting on a
2:27 · path inclined 10 to 15° relative to the
2:30 · solar systems main plane. That makes it
2:33 · smaller and closer than the much
2:35 · discussed planet 9, which is predicted
2:38 · to be 5 to 10 Earth masses and roughly
2:41 · 600 astronomical units away. So far, no
2:45 · telescope has directly seen planet Y.
2:48 · The evidence is entirely gravitational,
2:50 · a mathematical fingerprint written in
2:52 · the Kyper belts architecture. Yet, this
2:55 · pattern is precise enough that many
2:57 · astronomers now view the hypothesis as a
3:00 · credible, testable prediction rather
3:02 · than speculation.
· Scientific Importance and Theories
3:09 · If planet Y exists, it would challenge
3:11 · the assumption that our solar systems
3:13 · planetary family ends with Neptune. Its
3:16 · presence would imply that the early
3:18 · solar system produced more large bodies
3:20 · than previously thought, some of which
3:23 · survived on distant orbits. There are
3:25 · three leading formation scenarios. One,
3:28 · native survivor, a planet formed near
3:31 · the giant planets and was scattered
3:33 · outward during the solar systems chaotic
3:35 · early evolution. Two, captured object, a
3:40 · wandering interstellar planet that
3:41 · passed close enough to the sun to be
3:44 · gravitationally trapped. Three,
3:47 · complement to planet 9, a smaller
3:49 · companion that together with planet 9
3:52 · shapes the Kyper belt structure. Each
3:55 · explanation would add a new layer to
3:56 · models of planetary formation and
3:59 · migration. Planetwise predicted mass is
4:02 · also scientifically significant. A body
4:05 · with a fraction of Earth's mass at 100
4:08 · to 200 astronomical units would have
4:11 · enough gravity to clear its orbit. The
4:13 · core requirement for official planet
4:15 · status under the International
4:17 · Astronomical Union's 2006 definition. At
4:21 · roughly 50 times Pluto's mass, it would
4:24 · easily qualify as a full planet, not a
4:26 · dwarf one. Confirming such a world would
4:29 · also refine our understanding of the
4:31 · Kyper belt's dynamics. The belt is not
4:34 · uniform. Its objects exhibit clustered
4:36 · angles and inclinations that suggest an
4:39 · external perturbing force. Planet Y
4:42 · could provide a straightforward
4:44 · gravitational explanation for this
4:45 · pattern. Not all astronomers are
4:47 · convinced. Some argue that the apparent
4:50 · warp could emerge naturally from the
4:52 · collective gravitational effects of many
4:54 · smaller objects. Others point out that
4:57 · small number statistics and
4:58 · observational bias might exaggerate the
5:01 · alignment. Nevertheless, the Princeton
5:03 · model reproduces observed data with
5:06 · fewer assumptions, keeping the
5:07 · hypothesis scientifically persuasive. If
5:11 · real, planet Y would fill an important
5:14 · missing link, showing that planetary
5:16 · formation continues smoothly into the
5:18 · outer regions rather than stopping
5:21 · abruptly after Neptune. In broader
5:23 · terms, it would remind us that even
5:26 · within our own solar system, much
5:28 · remains undiscovered.
· Implications and What’s Next
5:34 · [Music]
5:36 · The key test for planet Y will come from
5:38 · observation. The Vera Rubin Observatory
5:41 · in Chile, set to begin full operations
5:43 · soon, is designed for this exact kind of
5:46 · search. Its legacy survey of space and
5:48 · time, LSST, will image the entire
5:52 · southern sky every few nights, capturing
5:54 · faint, slowmoving objects at the fringes
5:57 · of the solar system. At 100 to 200
6:00 · astronomical units, Planet Y would be
6:03 · extremely dim, perhaps a million times
6:06 · fainter than what the naked eye can see.
6:09 · and moving only a few arcsec.
6:12 · But LSST's repeated scans and powerful
6:15 · data processing algorithms could reveal
6:18 · its motion over months or years. If
6:20 · planet Y exists, LSST might detect it
6:24 · directly or indirectly through improved
6:26 · mapping of distant Kbos whose orbits
6:29 · betray its gravitational tug. In either
6:32 · case, the data collected within the next
6:34 · few years should decisively confirm or
6:37 · reject the hypothesis. Should the planet
6:39 · be found, the implications are profound.
6:42 · It would represent the first new planet
6:44 · discovered in nearly two centuries and
6:47 · confirm that our solar system extends
6:49 · much farther and with greater complexity
6:51 · than previously imagined. It could
6:53 · explain why certain long period comets
6:56 · approach the sun from odd directions.
6:58 · and it would add a new data point for
7:00 · studying how planetary systems form and
7:03 · evolve elsewhere in the galaxy. The
7:06 · discovery would also settle an ongoing
7:08 · public debate about what defines a
7:10 · planet. Pluto was reclassified as a
7:13 · dwarf planet because it hadn't cleared
7:15 · its orbit. A Mars mass world at 100
7:19 · astronomical units would have no such
7:22 · problem satisfying every criterion of
7:24 · planet hood and restoring some symmetry
7:27 · to the solar systems outer architecture.
7:30 · If however the LSST finds no trace of
7:35 · planet Y, the outcome remains valuable.
7:38 · Astronomers would re-evaluate the
7:40 · dynamics of the Kyper belt, perhaps
7:42 · attributing its warp to distributed mass
7:44 · effects or past stellar encounters. The
7:47 · search itself will yield thousands of
7:49 · new minor body discoveries, refining our
7:52 · map of the solar systems edge. Looking
7:55 · ahead, planet Y has already sparked
7:58 · discussions about future deep space
8:00 · missions. With advancements in
8:02 · propulsion, future probes might travel
8:05 · beyond Neptune to directly survey these
8:07 · distant realms, whether or not a hidden
8:10 · planet awaits there. The broader
8:12 · takeaway is that science progresses
8:15 · through investigation, not certainty.
8:17 · Each anomaly drives inquiry, and even a
8:20 · null result pushes knowledge forward.
· Outro
8:29 · Planet Y remains unconfirmed, but the
8:32 · search continues. Whether it exists or
8:34 · not, the investigation expands our
8:37 · understanding of the solar systems edge.
8:39 · Sometimes the pursuit of discovery
8:41 · reveals as much as discovery itself.
· Enjoy
9:40 · [Music]

--> YouTube-Generated Transcript <--
	·	Introduction
0:01	·	[Music]
0:04	·	Astronomers may have found evidence of a
0:07	·	new planet hiding in our solar system.
0:09	·	And it's not planet 9. A recent study
0:12	·	from Princeton University proposes the
0:15	·	existence of planet Y, a smaller, closer
0:18	·	world that could be subtly bending the
0:20	·	orbits of distant Kyper belt objects. If
0:23	·	proven, it would be the first new planet
0:26	·	added to our solar system since Neptune.
0:28	·	In this video, we'll explore what planet
0:31	·	Y is, why scientists think it might
0:34	·	exist, and what comes next in the search
0:36	·	for it. Let's get started.
	·	The Discovery
0:41	·	The idea of hidden planets isn't new.
0:44	·	For more than a century, astronomers
0:46	·	have speculated that unseen worlds
0:48	·	beyond Neptune could explain odd
0:50	·	movements among distant bodies. Pluto's
0:53	·	discovery in 1930 briefly satisfied that
0:56	·	curiosity, but as observations improved,
1:00	·	its small mass proved inadequate to
1:02	·	explain the remaining anomalies. Now,
1:05	·	new data suggests there could be more
1:07	·	out there. In August 2025,
1:11	·	Princeton astrophysicists Amir Siraj
1:14	·	along with Christopher Chiba and Scott
1:16	·	Tmaine published a peer-reviewed study
1:19	·	in monthly notices of the Royal
1:21	·	Astronomical Society proposing planet Y,
1:25	·	a hypothetical planet orbiting between
1:28	·	100 and 200 astronomical units AU from
1:32	·	the sun. The researchers analyzed the
1:35	·	orbits of more than 150 Kyper Belt
1:38	·	objects, Kbos.
1:40	·	After accounting for Neptune's
1:42	·	influence, they noticed something
1:44	·	unusual. The orbital planes of objects
1:47	·	between 80 and 200 astronomical units
1:50	·	are systematically tilted. This warp is
1:53	·	small but statistically significant,
1:55	·	hinting at the pole of a massive unseen
1:58	·	body. To explain it, the team modeled
2:01	·	multiple scenarios. gravitational
2:03	·	resonance among the KBOS, the Milky Ways
2:07	·	tidal influence, and past stellar
2:09	·	flybys. None could reproduce the
2:12	·	observed pattern as effectively as a
2:14	·	single orbiting planet. Their
2:17	·	calculations suggest a body 25 to 450
2:21	·	times the mass of Pluto, roughly between
2:24	·	Mercury and Mars in size, orbiting on a
2:27	·	path inclined 10 to 15° relative to the
2:30	·	solar systems main plane. That makes it
2:33	·	smaller and closer than the much
2:35	·	discussed planet 9, which is predicted
2:38	·	to be 5 to 10 Earth masses and roughly
2:41	·	600 astronomical units away. So far, no
2:45	·	telescope has directly seen planet Y.
2:48	·	The evidence is entirely gravitational,
2:50	·	a mathematical fingerprint written in
2:52	·	the Kyper belts architecture. Yet, this
2:55	·	pattern is precise enough that many
2:57	·	astronomers now view the hypothesis as a
3:00	·	credible, testable prediction rather
3:02	·	than speculation.
	·	Scientific Importance and Theories
3:09	·	If planet Y exists, it would challenge
3:11	·	the assumption that our solar systems
3:13	·	planetary family ends with Neptune. Its
3:16	·	presence would imply that the early
3:18	·	solar system produced more large bodies
3:20	·	than previously thought, some of which
3:23	·	survived on distant orbits. There are
3:25	·	three leading formation scenarios. One,
3:28	·	native survivor, a planet formed near
3:31	·	the giant planets and was scattered
3:33	·	outward during the solar systems chaotic
3:35	·	early evolution. Two, captured object, a
3:40	·	wandering interstellar planet that
3:41	·	passed close enough to the sun to be
3:44	·	gravitationally trapped. Three,
3:47	·	complement to planet 9, a smaller
3:49	·	companion that together with planet 9
3:52	·	shapes the Kyper belt structure. Each
3:55	·	explanation would add a new layer to
3:56	·	models of planetary formation and
3:59	·	migration. Planetwise predicted mass is
4:02	·	also scientifically significant. A body
4:05	·	with a fraction of Earth's mass at 100
4:08	·	to 200 astronomical units would have
4:11	·	enough gravity to clear its orbit. The
4:13	·	core requirement for official planet
4:15	·	status under the International
4:17	·	Astronomical Union's 2006 definition. At
4:21	·	roughly 50 times Pluto's mass, it would
4:24	·	easily qualify as a full planet, not a
4:26	·	dwarf one. Confirming such a world would
4:29	·	also refine our understanding of the
4:31	·	Kyper belt's dynamics. The belt is not
4:34	·	uniform. Its objects exhibit clustered
4:36	·	angles and inclinations that suggest an
4:39	·	external perturbing force. Planet Y
4:42	·	could provide a straightforward
4:44	·	gravitational explanation for this
4:45	·	pattern. Not all astronomers are
4:47	·	convinced. Some argue that the apparent
4:50	·	warp could emerge naturally from the
4:52	·	collective gravitational effects of many
4:54	·	smaller objects. Others point out that
4:57	·	small number statistics and
4:58	·	observational bias might exaggerate the
5:01	·	alignment. Nevertheless, the Princeton
5:03	·	model reproduces observed data with
5:06	·	fewer assumptions, keeping the
5:07	·	hypothesis scientifically persuasive. If
5:11	·	real, planet Y would fill an important
5:14	·	missing link, showing that planetary
5:16	·	formation continues smoothly into the
5:18	·	outer regions rather than stopping
5:21	·	abruptly after Neptune. In broader
5:23	·	terms, it would remind us that even
5:26	·	within our own solar system, much
5:28	·	remains undiscovered.
	·	Implications and What’s Next
5:34	·	[Music]
5:36	·	The key test for planet Y will come from
5:38	·	observation. The Vera Rubin Observatory
5:41	·	in Chile, set to begin full operations
5:43	·	soon, is designed for this exact kind of
5:46	·	search. Its legacy survey of space and
5:48	·	time, LSST, will image the entire
5:52	·	southern sky every few nights, capturing
5:54	·	faint, slowmoving objects at the fringes
5:57	·	of the solar system. At 100 to 200
6:00	·	astronomical units, Planet Y would be
6:03	·	extremely dim, perhaps a million times
6:06	·	fainter than what the naked eye can see.
6:09	·	and moving only a few arcsec.
6:12	·	But LSST's repeated scans and powerful
6:15	·	data processing algorithms could reveal
6:18	·	its motion over months or years. If
6:20	·	planet Y exists, LSST might detect it
6:24	·	directly or indirectly through improved
6:26	·	mapping of distant Kbos whose orbits
6:29	·	betray its gravitational tug. In either
6:32	·	case, the data collected within the next
6:34	·	few years should decisively confirm or
6:37	·	reject the hypothesis. Should the planet
6:39	·	be found, the implications are profound.
6:42	·	It would represent the first new planet
6:44	·	discovered in nearly two centuries and
6:47	·	confirm that our solar system extends
6:49	·	much farther and with greater complexity
6:51	·	than previously imagined. It could
6:53	·	explain why certain long period comets
6:56	·	approach the sun from odd directions.
6:58	·	and it would add a new data point for
7:00	·	studying how planetary systems form and
7:03	·	evolve elsewhere in the galaxy. The
7:06	·	discovery would also settle an ongoing
7:08	·	public debate about what defines a
7:10	·	planet. Pluto was reclassified as a
7:13	·	dwarf planet because it hadn't cleared
7:15	·	its orbit. A Mars mass world at 100
7:19	·	astronomical units would have no such
7:22	·	problem satisfying every criterion of
7:24	·	planet hood and restoring some symmetry
7:27	·	to the solar systems outer architecture.
7:30	·	If however the LSST finds no trace of
7:35	·	planet Y, the outcome remains valuable.
7:38	·	Astronomers would re-evaluate the
7:40	·	dynamics of the Kyper belt, perhaps
7:42	·	attributing its warp to distributed mass
7:44	·	effects or past stellar encounters. The
7:47	·	search itself will yield thousands of
7:49	·	new minor body discoveries, refining our
7:52	·	map of the solar systems edge. Looking
7:55	·	ahead, planet Y has already sparked
7:58	·	discussions about future deep space
8:00	·	missions. With advancements in
8:02	·	propulsion, future probes might travel
8:05	·	beyond Neptune to directly survey these
8:07	·	distant realms, whether or not a hidden
8:10	·	planet awaits there. The broader
8:12	·	takeaway is that science progresses
8:15	·	through investigation, not certainty.
8:17	·	Each anomaly drives inquiry, and even a
8:20	·	null result pushes knowledge forward.
	·	Outro
8:29	·	Planet Y remains unconfirmed, but the
8:32	·	search continues. Whether it exists or
8:34	·	not, the investigation expands our
8:37	·	understanding of the solar systems edge.
8:39	·	Sometimes the pursuit of discovery
8:41	·	reveals as much as discovery itself.
	·	Enjoy
9:40	·	[Music]