Scientists in race against time to reach outer world planet roaming in our solar system in 2076

Astronomers are preparing to study a dwarf planet that last came near Earth 11,000 years ago. Sedna is moving closer to the Sun, and this has intrigued experts who are eager to learn about the distant dwarf planet. However, even if they manage to send a probe to Sedna, they would not be able to see the results in their lifetime. This is because it will reach its closest point to the Sun in 2076. Another problem is that even at this distance, it would be almost three times the distance Neptune is from the Sun. Despite the several hurdles, scientists are determined to study Sedna. But again, there is one more problem - human technology to travel through space. A spacecraft will have to traverse more than 11 billion kilometres of cold, icy space to reach Sedna.

Right now, humans don't have the technology to shoot through space in a desired frame of time. Even reaching Mars with current methods and the best trajectory would take 7 to 10 months. Even if humans manage to upgrade their technology to cut down on the travel time, it would take 42.5 days to reach the Red Planet at the speed of 80,467 km/hr. Is studying Sedna even possible in this scenario? The year 2076 is still 51 years away, so if humans wish to peer into Sedna, the work should start today. The window Sedna stays near the Sun would be tiny, so scientists also need to ensure that they get there right on time. Also Read:

Dwarf planet Sedna has a strange orbit

Sedna is an icy world with a weird orbit. It was first spotted in 2003 and shocked astronomers. While Pluto stays in the Kuiper Belt, Sedna has a stretched-out ellipse. It goes as far as 937 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun, or 937 times the distance Earth is from the Sun. At its closest point, it reaches about 76 AU. This has led scientists to speculate that Sedna might not have originated in our solar system. Initially, it looked like a member of the Oort Cloud, the outermost boundary of the solar system. However, its strange characteristics have triggered the possibility that it is a rogue interstellar planet which got caught in our star system billions of years ago.

Dr. Elena Ancona of Politecnico di Bari and her team carried out a study in Sedna and released the results in a study this year. They are of the view that if Sedna is an exoplanet, then it warrants a scientific study. This is the best chance to explore a world that is not from the solar system. “If confirmed, Sedna would represent the first known exoplanetary body accessible to in situ investigation,” she said. “The mere possibility of accessing exoplanetary material at such close range provides strong justification for a dedicated mission.”