Mysterious Planet 9 ‘is rogue world snared by our solar system’ and it could hold alien life

A MYSTERY ice planet that is so big it's tilting our entire solar system may be a rogue world captured by our Sun's gravitational pull.

Planet 9 is believed to be 15 times larger than Earth and is believed to be responsible for the odd behaviour of planets near to us.

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Scientists have suspected that the hypothetical planet is disrupting the orbit of icy objects and could one day destroy Earth.

Although it is invisible to the naked eye, it can be spotted using advanced telescopes.

But now there are claims that the planet is a lone world that got caught up in our solar system – sparking hopes that it could hold alien life.

New Mexico State University said it was likely a "rogue planet" during a news conference.

James Vesper, an undergraduate at the University told the 229th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Grapevine, Texas: "It is very plausible' that Planet Nine is a captured rogue, a world that cruises through space unattached to a star."

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The discovery of Planet 9 was hailed as a great feat for science, but came with a fatal warning.

The ice giant could destroy the solar system by causing devastating "death dance", astronomers have warned.

It could one day hurtle through our solar system, sending planets “pinballing” into outer space or plunging into the Sun.

“The fate of the solar system would depend on the mass and orbital properties of Planet Nine, if it exists.”

Luckily for us, humanity has about seven billion years to prepare for this grim eventuality, which will take place when the Sun begins to die.