Into the Impossible With Brian Keating Mike Brown Lecture on Finding Planet Nine and his Journey to Redefine the Solar System
Apr 28, 2025
Mike Brown, an accomplished astronomer and professor at Caltech, shakes up the astronomy world with his bold discoveries, including dwarf planets. He dives into the dramatic redefinition of what a planet is, sharing why Pluto was demoted. Brown also shares fascinating insights into the ongoing search for the elusive Planet Nine, speculating on its potential existence in our solar system. You won't want to miss his engaging historical anecdotes that chronicle the quest for new planets, intertwining science with personal passion.
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Daughter's Idea Inspired Planet Hunt
- Mike Brown shares that his daughter suggested the idea of finding a new planet to stop people from hating him.
- Years later, this idea inspired him to look for new planets beyond Pluto.
No Planets Beyond Saturn Thought
- In 1780, all planets known were visible; new planets beyond Saturn hadn't been seriously considered.
- The concept of unseen planets was not common until Uranus was discovered.
Herschel's Accidental Uranus Discovery
- William Herschel discovered Uranus accidentally while mapping the sky with the best telescope of his time.
- He noticed a fuzzy object moving against stars, realizing it was a solar system object, not a star or galaxy.