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Astronomers using Chile's NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory have identified a new dwarf planet candidate named 2026 ED138 orbiting beyond Pluto. Matthew Holman of the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics first spotted the celestial body on October 13 while analyzing moving-object detections with code developed alongside Kevin Napier. Located roughly 46 astronomical units from the Sun—farther out than Pluto's current distance of about 40 AU—the icy world has an estimated diameter between 600 and 1,500 kilometers (roughly 370 to 930 miles). [1][2]
The discovery was confirmed after researchers tracked down archived survey observations dating back to 2016, including data from the Dark Energy Camera. The object previously avoided detection because it sits in a densely populated region of the sky, making it hard to differentiate from surrounding stars. If its size estimates hold, its self-gravity should be sufficient to pull it into a round shape, which meets the core physical criterion for dwarf planet status. [1][2]
University of Washington astronomer Mario Jurić called it the largest trans-Neptunian object found in about 20 years. However, formal recognition remains uncertain because the International Astronomical Union has not added a new dwarf planet to its official roster since 2008. Scientists now plan to pursue occultation events and thermal measurements to conclusively prove the body is round. [2]
2026 ED138 joins a tribe of potential dwarf planets on the edge of our solar system — and Rubin's astronomers are likely to find more during 10-year sky survey.
via GeekWire
Astronomers have recently discovered a dwarf planet candidate. Although its size has already been estimated, it could be among the largest and brightest objects discovered in this region of the solar system.
via Notebookcheck