Home · Science · Nov 1 archive
Astronomers Spot Potential New Dwarf Planet Near Halloween
Confirmed
In Short: Astronomers have detected a potential new dwarf planet near Neptune, adding to the excitement of this year's Halloween.
Astronomers are gearing up for a cosmic treat this Halloween, as they have spotted a potential new dwarf planet near Neptune.
Rubin observed the object 30 times on 20 nights from March 4 to July 11, providing valuable data on its size and potential characteristics.
The brightness of 2026 ED138 suggests it could be between 600 and 1,500 kilometers wide, potentially as large as other known dwarf planets like Ceres and Makemake.
Amateur astronomer Sam Deen, based in Simi Valley, Calif., expressed excitement about the discovery, saying, “It feels a little bit like we’re replicating the 1800s and early 1900s, discovering what the solar system even looks like in general.”
Deen is hoping to observe the potential new dwarf planet pass in front of a distant star on Halloween, an event known as an occultation.
This observation could help reveal more details about the dwarf planet’s size, shape, and whether it has moons or rings.
The discovery is part of the observatory’s decade-long survey of the sky, and it marks the first potential new dwarf planet found in 19 years.
The findings are filling in astronomers’ picture of the Kuiper Belt, the solar system’s frigid fringes.
Astronomers are also observing a compact formation within the Carina Nebula, nicknamed the Cat’s Head Nebula, which is about 7,500 light-years from Earth.
James Webb Space Telescope captured images of the Cat’s Head Nebula, adding to the spooky atmosphere of this year’s Halloween.
Background
The detection of the dwarf planet candidate and the potential satellite galaxies highlights the ongoing potential for groundbreaking discoveries with the Rubin Observatory.
The discovery of potential hidden satellite galaxies and the dwarf planet candidate highlights the importance of the Rubin Observatory in reshaping our understanding of the Universe.
What's confirmed
- It’s about to be a very spooky Halloween in space.
- Astronomers call the structure the Cat’s Head Nebula, a compact formation nestled inside the much larger Carina Nebula roughly 7,500 light-years from Earth.
What's still developing
- Scientists say they have found stars brewing inside a Halloween-like cosmic cauldron.
- James Webb Space Telescope Captures Haunting Cat’s Head Nebula Just in Time for Halloween #James #Webb #Space #Telescope #Captures #Haunting #Cats #Nebula #Time #Halloween Your email address will not be published.
- Just in time for Halloween, although, it turns out that little cloud isn't the soul of a departed star.
- Less than five months into the observatory’s decade-long survey of the sky, a potential new dwarf planet has already popped up in its data, astronomers reported this week at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society’s Division of Planetary Sciences in Spokane, Wash.
Sources
- Science Newslink
- Nypostlink
- Techebloglink
- USA Todaylink
- Gnyouthlink
- Popscilink
- Universe Todaylink
- WarpBeat — background on Rubin Observatory Reveals Potential Dwarf Planet and Hidden Galaxies link
- WarpBeat — background on Rubin Observatory Detects Potential Dwarf Planet and Hidden Galaxies link
- Anton Petrov — video link