Alex McColgan

However, being overzealous could lead to being remembered for all the wrong reasons. I'm Alex McColgan and you're watching Astrum, and in today's video we're going to be looking at the fascinating discovery of a planet in our solar system closer to the Sun than Mercury. It was observed dozens of times by various astronomers. The only problem? It doesn't actually exist.

However, being overzealous could lead to being remembered for all the wrong reasons. I'm Alex McColgan and you're watching Astrum, and in today's video we're going to be looking at the fascinating discovery of a planet in our solar system closer to the Sun than Mercury. It was observed dozens of times by various astronomers. The only problem? It doesn't actually exist.

Let's rewind to the year 1846, when something astounding had just happened in the scientific community. A bon Jean-Joseph Le Ferrier, a French astronomer and mathematician, had just helped discover the planet Neptune using nothing but pure mathematics. He had been examining the rotation of the, then, seven planets when he noticed that something was off about Uranus.

Let's rewind to the year 1846, when something astounding had just happened in the scientific community. A bon Jean-Joseph Le Ferrier, a French astronomer and mathematician, had just helped discover the planet Neptune using nothing but pure mathematics. He had been examining the rotation of the, then, seven planets when he noticed that something was off about Uranus.

Let's rewind to the year 1846, when something astounding had just happened in the scientific community. A bon Jean-Joseph Le Ferrier, a French astronomer and mathematician, had just helped discover the planet Neptune using nothing but pure mathematics. He had been examining the rotation of the, then, seven planets when he noticed that something was off about Uranus.

It didn't seem to be moving in line with the theories of gravity proposed by Newtonian physics. Le Verrier reasoned that the only explanation for this was that there must be a planet out beyond the orbit of Uranus that was perturbing its motion to account for this discrepancy. He did some maths, and then declared that his eighth planet must exist at an exact point in the night sky.

It didn't seem to be moving in line with the theories of gravity proposed by Newtonian physics. Le Verrier reasoned that the only explanation for this was that there must be a planet out beyond the orbit of Uranus that was perturbing its motion to account for this discrepancy. He did some maths, and then declared that his eighth planet must exist at an exact point in the night sky.

It didn't seem to be moving in line with the theories of gravity proposed by Newtonian physics. Le Verrier reasoned that the only explanation for this was that there must be a planet out beyond the orbit of Uranus that was perturbing its motion to account for this discrepancy. He did some maths, and then declared that his eighth planet must exist at an exact point in the night sky.

The incredible thing was, after hearing his prediction, Le Verrier's friend, Johann Gottfried Galle, got out a telescope, searched in that location, and sure enough discovered the planet Neptune in a single hour. It was almost exactly where Le Verrier had predicted that it would be.

The incredible thing was, after hearing his prediction, Le Verrier's friend, Johann Gottfried Galle, got out a telescope, searched in that location, and sure enough discovered the planet Neptune in a single hour. It was almost exactly where Le Verrier had predicted that it would be.

The incredible thing was, after hearing his prediction, Le Verrier's friend, Johann Gottfried Galle, got out a telescope, searched in that location, and sure enough discovered the planet Neptune in a single hour. It was almost exactly where Le Verrier had predicted that it would be.

The scientific community went wild with this discovery, and Le Verrier was rightly celebrated for his incredible deductions. So it's not surprising that a decade later, when he predicted the location of a ninth planet using the same methodology, the scientific community listened. In fairness, he had not been the first to predict that such a planet existed.

The scientific community went wild with this discovery, and Le Verrier was rightly celebrated for his incredible deductions. So it's not surprising that a decade later, when he predicted the location of a ninth planet using the same methodology, the scientific community listened. In fairness, he had not been the first to predict that such a planet existed.

The scientific community went wild with this discovery, and Le Verrier was rightly celebrated for his incredible deductions. So it's not surprising that a decade later, when he predicted the location of a ninth planet using the same methodology, the scientific community listened. In fairness, he had not been the first to predict that such a planet existed.

It was as far back as 1601 that German astronomer Christoph Scheine had claimed to have noticed a strange black spot moving in front of the Sun, and had claimed that this was a planet. In reality, it was most probably a sunspot. Other alleged sightings had been made throughout the years. Kapel Loft in 1818,

It was as far back as 1601 that German astronomer Christoph Scheine had claimed to have noticed a strange black spot moving in front of the Sun, and had claimed that this was a planet. In reality, it was most probably a sunspot. Other alleged sightings had been made throughout the years. Kapel Loft in 1818,

It was as far back as 1601 that German astronomer Christoph Scheine had claimed to have noticed a strange black spot moving in front of the Sun, and had claimed that this was a planet. In reality, it was most probably a sunspot. Other alleged sightings had been made throughout the years. Kapel Loft in 1818,

Franz von Greutheusen in 1819, J. W. Pasdorff between 1822 and 1837 all claimed to have seen an object or objects orbiting the Sun. Pasdorff claimed to have seen it at least 12 different times. People had even begun to spitball a name for this hypothetical planet. In 1846, French astronomer Jacques Babinet suggested calling it Vulcan, after the Roman god of volcanoes, fire and metalwork.

Franz von Greutheusen in 1819, J. W. Pasdorff between 1822 and 1837 all claimed to have seen an object or objects orbiting the Sun. Pasdorff claimed to have seen it at least 12 different times. People had even begun to spitball a name for this hypothetical planet. In 1846, French astronomer Jacques Babinet suggested calling it Vulcan, after the Roman god of volcanoes, fire and metalwork.

Franz von Greutheusen in 1819, J. W. Pasdorff between 1822 and 1837 all claimed to have seen an object or objects orbiting the Sun. Pasdorff claimed to have seen it at least 12 different times. People had even begun to spitball a name for this hypothetical planet. In 1846, French astronomer Jacques Babinet suggested calling it Vulcan, after the Roman god of volcanoes, fire and metalwork.