Tyche: Does Planet X Exist?

Is there another planet in our system? In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) nixed the idea that Pluto was the ninth planet in our solar system. However, there might be another planet after all -- this one being nearly 15 million miles from the sun! John Matese and Daniel Whitmire of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette are causing a media frenzy with their claim that a gaseous object, estimated to be four times the mass of Jupiter, is within the sun’s gravitational field. The professors say evidence gathered by the NASA space telescope, WISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer), will verify whether the planet exists at all. It is believed to be orbiting on the Oort Cloud in the outer reaches of the solar system. They call his planet "Tyche", which means in Greek,"goddess of love and fortune." Nevertheless, the IAU would have the final word on whether Tyche is the ninth planet. If it exists, this will be a major breakthrough in astronomy.

You can learn more about the mysterious planet in the links below:

• TIME - A Giant Planet In Our Own Solar System.
  
• MSNBC - 2012 Watch: Don't Fret Over Planet X
  
• Discovery News: Does a Massive Planet Lurk in Our Solar System?