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The Economic Times
The Economic Times
Piyush Shukla

Is a massive planet lurking beyond Pluto? Tyche planet mystery: In 1999, scientists proposed a world four times Jupiter's mass; 25 years later, the debate continues

For over two decades, the mystery of the Tyche planet held the imagination of astronomers worldwide. Proposed in 1999, the Tyche planet theory suggested that a gas giant four times the mass of Jupiter was hiding deep inside the Oort Cloud. Scientists wondered if an undiscovered world was silently pulling distant comets off course. Although NASA eventually disproved the original claims, the Tyche planet debate changed how we look at the cosmic edge.

Understanding this debate requires stepping back into the history of planetary discovery. Science moves forward by chasing shadows until better data clears them away. The story of this phantom world is a masterclass in how human curiosity tests the boundaries of physical reality.

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