Planet 9 could DESTROY solar system by causing devastating ‘death dance’, astronomers warn

The discovery of Planet 9 was hailed as a wonder of science and astronomy.

But this mysterious world could be fated to cause a "death dance" that wipes out almost every other major planet.

Astronomers from the University of Warwick have produced a chilling piece of research which sets out the grim power of Planet 9, a massive world which has never actually been spotted.

The hypothetical planet could one day hurtle through our solar system, sending planets "pinballing" into outer space or plunging into the Sun.

Dr Dimitri Veras of the Department of Physics said: "The existence of a distant massive planet could fundamentally change the fate of the solar system.

"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.

In this appalling era, our star will "blow away half of its own mass and inflate itself - swallowing the Earth".

The star will then turn into an "ember" called a white dwarf.

Previously, it was thought that the Sun's demise would push Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune to safety.

But if Planet 9 turns out to be real, it's likely to "rewrite this happy ending".

In a statement, the University of Warwick warned: "Planet Nine might not be pushed out in the same way, and in fact might instead be thrust inward into a death dance with the solar system’s four known giant planets — most notably Uranus and Neptune.

"The most likely result is ejection from the solar system, forever."