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Massive Cosmic Visitor May Explain Gas Giants' Orbits

1/22/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A colossal object, eight times the mass of Jupiter, might have traversed our Solar System around 4 billion years ago, according to researchers from the University of Toronto and University of Arizona. This cosmic visitor could shed light on the peculiar orbits of our gas giants, hinting that such extraordinary encounters may be more common in the Milky Way than previously thought.

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Story summary

A colossal object, eight times the mass of Jupiter, might have traversed our Solar System around 4 billion years ago, according to researchers from the University of Toronto and University of Arizona. This cosmic visitor could shed light on the peculiar orbits of our gas giants, hinting that such extraordinary encounters may be more common in the Milky Way than previously thought.