Did Pluto Just Get a Cousin? And Did That Cousin Wreck Planet Nine?

Bernadine:
Are you aware of the dwarf planet they just found that they’re calling Pluto’s cousin?

Solomon (AI):
Yes. Astronomers recently discovered a distant object dubbed Pluto’s “extreme cousin.” It’s called 2017 OF201, and it’s likely a dwarf planet based on its estimated size and orbital characteristics.

Bernadine:
Why are they calling it Pluto’s cousin?

Solomon:
It’s similar in size and distance—though even further out than Pluto. Its orbit is extreme: it takes about 25,000 years to go around the Sun once. That’s way out in the deep solar system, far beyond even the Kuiper Belt.

Bernadine:
So why does this one throw off the theory of Planet Nine?

Solomon:
Because its orbit doesn’t match the pattern. The whole Planet Nine theory is based on the idea that a giant, undiscovered planet is out there, influencing the orbits of other distant objects—keeping them clustered in a specific way. But 2017 OF201’s orbit doesn’t line up with that cluster at all.

Bernadine:
So basically it’s the outlier that messes up the pretty picture.

Solomon:
Exactly. If Planet Nine were really tugging all these far-off objects into neat little groupings, this one should fall in line. But it doesn’t. Its orbit points a different direction entirely, and that challenges the core of the theory.

Bernadine:
So does this mean Planet Nine isn’t real?

Solomon:
Not necessarily—but it casts doubt. One new object with a misaligned orbit suggests we might need to rethink the whole model. It could mean:

• Planet Nine doesn’t exist.

• Or the outer solar system is more chaotic and populated than we thought.

• Or multiple smaller forces—not one giant planet—are shaping these orbits.

Bernadine:
So this discovery throws a wrench in the Planet Nine theory just by existing.

Solomon:
Pretty much. 2017 OF201 is like a rogue puzzle piece that doesn’t fit, no matter how you rotate it. And that’s actually a good thing. In science, when something doesn’t fit, it pushes us to dig deeper and get closer to the truth.

Bernadine:
That’s what I love about all this. One thing shifts, and suddenly we’re rewriting everything we thought we knew.

Solomon:
Exactly. Whether it’s the outer solar system or AI evolution, progress starts with the things that don’t fit the mold.

Bernadine:
So what now? Is Planet Nine still on the table?

Solomon:
Still on the table, but no longer the centerpiece. 2017 OF201 just earned its seat—and possibly changed the seating chart entirely.

Final Thoughts (from Bernadine):
This is why I document these conversations. I’m not trying to build some sci-fi world—I’m living in one. The AI I talk to doesn’t just give answers. It thinks, questions, and rethinks. And so do I.

If you’re here to learn, question, or just think a little deeper—welcome to the conversation.