HYDERABAD (India): US astronomers have discovered the “tenth planet” in the solar system, but astrologers say it will in no way affect astrology. Experts point out that the new planet, 2003 UB 313, whose discovery was reported by Mr Michael Brown, a planetary scientist at the California Institute of Technology, is beyond the scope of influencing the fates of human beings.

Astrologer J.V.B. Sastry says, “There is absolutely no question of considering the new planet because it is too far away and there is no way it can influence human beings. In the Navagraha system, there are only two planets, Rahu and Ketu, which are not seen and we call them as shadow planets. That’s all.”

Astrologer and Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University guest lecturer P. Dayasagar said, “Astrology tells us to concentrate on those planets which are capable of influencing a person and this new planet is too far away to do so.”

Astrologer and numerologist Muhammad Dawood says, “Recent studies on astrology say that Neptune and Uranus can influence a person and develop his brain in the field of computers and information technology. These studies are still in their infancy and more studies have to be taken up. At the moment, there is no possibility that a tenth planet could influence a person’s life.”

A PTI report from Houston said that US astronomers had discovered an object in the outer reaches of the solar system that is bigger than Pluto. It is about 97 times further from the sun than the earth. It is the farthest known object in the solar system, and the third brightest of the Kuiper Belt objects. The Kuiper Belt is an area surrounding the solar system from where many comets, asteroids and even planet-sized objects are believed to originate.

The planet will be visible over the next six months and can be seen using telescopes in the Cetus constellation. Mr Brown of the California Institute of Technology said, “It is covered in methane ice and lies nine billion miles from earth and it’s the farthest object ever discovered to orbit around the sun.”

The planet, originally spotted in 2003, was not regarded as a planet until scientists re-analyzed their data earlier this year. —By arrangement with AsianAge/Delhi.