Telescope spots possible new dwarf planet orbiting beyond Pluto
Astronomers using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile have identified a potential new dwarf planet, 2026 ED138, orbiting beyond Pluto. Further observations are required to confirm its status and size, which is estimated to be between 600 and 1,500 kilometers in diameter.
Why it matters
This discovery highlights the capabilities of new telescope technology to expand our understanding of the outer solar system and the classification of celestial bodies.
The orbital pathway of the newly discovered dwarf planet candidate 2026 ED138, as observed by the US National Science Foundation/Department of Energy Vera C. Rubin Observatory. NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observat/Reuters
Scientists using a Chile-based telescope have identified an icy object orbiting beyond Pluto that may join our solar system’s small roster of dwarf planets.
Researchers said the candidate, named 2026 ED138, has a diameter estimated at between roughly 600 and 1,500 kilometres and is orbiting about 46 times farther from the sun than Earth. By way of comparison, Pluto orbits at an average of about 40 times farther from the sun than Earth.
The object was spotted using the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory, on the summit of the Cerro Pachón mountain in central Chile. The telescope is a joint initiative of the US National Science Foundation and US Department of Energy.
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Astronomers Spot Potential New Dwarf Planet Beyond Orbit of Pluto
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