Is a huge, dark, undiscovered planet still lurking out beyond Neptune?
On March 18, discover one of our Solar System’s greatest mysteries during a MOSI event just for adults — Grown-Up Science: Beer and Planet Nine.
Tampa, Florida — Using the latest tools in advanced astronomy technology, join MOSI Space Programs Director Prof. Antonio Paris for a cold glass of beer to discuss Planet Nine. This hypothetical planet, ten times larger than Earth, may be circling the Sun in the outer reaches of our Solar System.
Then, after exploring the mystery of Planet Nine, step outside to socialize and stargaze through MOSI’s telescopes on a balcony five stories above the ground. Under the stars, you’ll sample frosty beer from Brew Bus Brewing. Guests must be 21 or older to attend.
“Astronomers have been hunting for Planet Nine since 2014,” Paris said. “We’ve been discovering a lot of new objects out past Neptune, and they all have strange ‘wobbles’ in their orbits. A group of scientists at Caltech put forth the idea that the only way to explain these ‘wobbles’ is that there’s a massive undiscovered planet, much larger than Earth, tugging on those objects as they orbit the Sun.”
Planet Nine has not yet been found or photographed, but it would be a very alien world. One trip around the Sun would take it ten to twenty thousand years, compared to one year for Earth. And while Earth’s average temperature is 59 degrees Fahrenheit, the surface of Planet Nine would average a stunning 375 degrees below zero.
Grown-Up Science: Beer and Planet Nine is Saturday, March 18 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Museum of Science & Industry in Tampa. Professor Paris’ presentation begins at 7 p.m. Limited-time pricing for advance tickets available at mosi.org: Nonmembers $15, MOSI Members $10.
Artist concept images of Planet Nine for media use: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AjMl2DqAimg9qwd3okBr8TM_94sV
Media interviews with Prof. Paris about Planet Nine are available.
Media contact: Grayson Kamm, MOSI Communications Director, 813-987-6018 or grayson@mosi.org.
MOSI, the Museum of Science & Industry, is Tampa Bay’s community-supported science center. At MOSI, people of all ages (this means you!) can see and do amazing things every day. Experience an immersive film in the Florida Hospital IMAX® DOME Theatre, see the stars in The Saunders Planetarium, have a blast in our Kids In Charge! children’s science center, witness tomorrow in 3D Printing the Future: The Exhibition, wonder at nature in our BioWorks Butterfly Garden, and defy gravity on our Sky Trail® Ropes Course. MOSI (we pronounce it MOH’-zee) is the largest science center in the Southeast, and a not-for-profit magnet for innovation in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) education where we make a difference in people’s lives by making science real for people of all ages and backgrounds. For more information about MOSI, visit mosi.org.