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Astronomers Spot Possible New Dwarf Planet Beyond Pluto
· Confirmed
In Short: Astronomers have detected a possible new dwarf planet, 2026 ED138, beyond Pluto's orbit.
Astronomers have spotted a possible new dwarf planet, 2026 ED138, beyond Pluto's orbit, using observations from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory.
Astronomers are thrilled with the confirmation that the observatory is functioning as expected, with one researcher expressing excited disbelief at the find.
If confirmed as a dwarf planet, ED138 would join a very small family of worlds, including Pluto, Ceres, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake.
Dwarf planets are defined as bodies that orbit the Sun, have enough gravity to become approximately round, but have not cleared their orbital neighborhoods of other substantial objects.
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) currently recognizes five dwarf planets, and ED138 could become the sixth if further observations establish that its gravity has shaped it into a nearly spherical body.
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is set to discover an estimated 32,000 objects beyond Neptune’s orbit over the next decade, many of which will be relatively small, but several of which will also be dwarf planets.
What this adds
The discovery of 2026 ED138 adds to the excitement of recent astronomical findings, including potential new dwarf planets near Neptune.
Background
Astronomers have spotted a new dwarf planet candidate, 2026 ED138, which could become the solar system's sixth officially recognized dwarf planet.
What's confirmed
- Astronomers have found a possible new dwarf planet beyond Pluto.
- “My first reaction was one of excited disbelief,” Holman said.
What's still developing
- Pluto tripped over that last hurdle and was “demoted” in 2006. ( Why the definition of a planet remains controversial today.) Dwarf planets can be found anywhere.
- When NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft flew by Pluto in 2015, it saw signs that the surface was convulsing and painting over itself, suggesting it was geologically active.