The Radius, Composition, Albedo, and Absolute Magnitude of Planet Nine Based on Exoplanets with Teq less than 600 K and the Planet Nine Reference Population 3.0

Evidence suggests the existence of a large planet in the outer Solar System, Planet Nine, with a predicted mass of 6.6 +2.6 / -1.7 Earth masses (Brown et al., 2024). Based on mass radius composition models, planet formation theory, and confirmed exoplanets with low mass and radius uncertainty and equilibrium temperature less than 600 K, we determine the most likely composition for Planet Nine is a mini-Neptune with a radius in the range 2.0 to 2.6 Earth radii and a H-He envelope fraction in the range of 0.6 percent to 3.5 percent by mass. Using albedo estimates for a mini-Neptune extrapolated from V-band data for the Solar Systems giant planets gives albedo values for Planet Nine in the range of 0.47 to 0.33. Using the most likely orbit and aphelion estimates from the Planet Nine Reference Population 3.0, we estimate Planet Nines absolute magnitude in the range of -6.1 to -5.2 and apparent magnitude in the range of +21.9 to +22.7. Finally, we estimate that, if the hypothetical Planet Nine exists and is detected by upcoming surveys, it will have a resolvable disk using some higher resolution world class telescopes.

Publication Details

Journal
ArXiv.org
Published
2025-07-30
Primary Topic
Astro and Planetary Science
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article
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article

The Radius, Composition, Albedo, and Absolute Magnitude of Planet Nine Based on Exoplanets with Teq less than 600 K and the Planet Nine Reference Population 3.0

ArXiv.org
Astro and Planetary Science
article

The Radius, Composition, Albedo, and Absolute Magnitude of Planet Nine Based on Exoplanets with Teq less than 600 K and the Planet Nine Reference Population 3.0

article en

Abstract

Evidence suggests the existence of a large planet in the outer Solar System, Planet Nine, with a predicted mass of 6.6 +2.6 / -1.7 Earth masses (Brown et al., 2024). Based on mass radius composition models, planet formation theory, and confirmed exoplanets with low mass and radius uncertainty and equilibrium temperature less than 600 K, we determine the most likely composition for Planet Nine is a mini-Neptune with a radius in the range 2.0 to 2.6 Earth radii and a H-He envelope fraction in the range of 0.6 percent to 3.5 percent by mass. Using albedo estimates for a mini-Neptune extrapolated from V-band data for the Solar Systems giant planets gives albedo values for Planet Nine in the range of 0.47 to 0.33. Using the most likely orbit and aphelion estimates from the Planet Nine Reference Population 3.0, we estimate Planet Nines absolute magnitude in the range of -6.1 to -5.2 and apparent magnitude in the range of +21.9 to +22.7. Finally, we estimate that, if the hypothetical Planet Nine exists and is detected by upcoming surveys, it will have a resolvable disk using some higher resolution world class telescopes.

ArXiv.org
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Astro and Planetary Science
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The Radius, Composition, Albedo, and Absolute Magnitude of Planet Nine Based on Exoplanets with Teq less than 600 K and the Planet Nine Reference Population 3.0 · ArXiv.org (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS