Find the total number of digits and the digit in the middle of $9^{99}$, $\it{without}$ actually calculating any other digit of the number.
PS: according to defuse.ca/big-number-calculator.htm, the answer is $0$. The number reads $$ 29 512 665 430 652 752 148 753 480 226 197 736 314 359 272 517 \\ 043 832 886 063 884 637 676 943 433 478 020 332 709 411 004 889.\,$$