A previously unknown giant planet may have been discovered lurking in the outer reaches of our solar system, US have scientists announced.
Nicknamed Planet Nine, the object "has a mass about 10 times that of Earth" and follows a "bizarre, highly elongated orbit in the distant solar system," scientists at California Institute of Technology said.
"In fact, it would take this new planet between 10,000 and 20,000 years to make just one full orbit around the Sun."
The report was published in the Astronomical Journal.
Researchers Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown say they found the planet through mathematical modelling and computer simulations, and have not yet observed the object directly.
The celestial body has about 5,000 times the mass of Pluto.
"This would be a real ninth planet," said Mr Brown, a professor of planetary astronomy.
"It's a pretty substantial chunk of our solar system that's still out there to be found, which is pretty exciting," he added.
Did you read about a new planet in our solar system? Is #planet9 real? Our head of Planetary Science discusses. https://t.co/t0b1Atqpqg
— NASA (@NASA) January 20, 2016
