By Tim Binnall
In the process of searching for signs of a massive planet thought to be lurking in our solar system, astronomers discovered a dwarf planet which they have dubbed 'The Goblin.' The rather diminutive object is believed to be around 186 miles wide and has an odd orbit that scientists suspect could be due to the influence of a larger celestial body colloquially known as 'Planet Nine.'
The existence of this mysterious world, long the subject of speculation in paranormal and conspiracy circles, gained mainstream credibility back in 2014 when scientists theorized that movements of distant objects in the solar system were being caused by a massive and heretofore undiscovered planet. The hypothesis was further strengthened in January of 2016, when another team of astronomers revealed that their mathematical models indicated that, indeed, an enormous Planet Nine appeared to be somewhere out there in space.
Since that time, astronomers have been trying to confirm the reality of such a planet, which is what led to the discovery of the newfound dwarf planet. "These distant objects are like breadcrumbs leading us to Planet X," explained Scott Sheppard in announcing the find. Although it was given the official scientific designation of '2015 TG387,' the dwarf planet later came to be affectionately known as 'The Goblin' by the astronomers who found it.