Researchers utilizing a telescope located in Chile have discovered a frozen celestial object that orbits beyond Pluto, which might be added to the limited list of dwarf planets in our solar system.
The scientific team revealed that this potential dwarf planet, designated as 2026 ED138, has a diameter estimated to be between approximately 600 and 1,500 kilometers and is orbiting about 46 times the distance from the sun compared to Earth. In contrast, Pluto’s orbit averages about 40 times farther from the sun than our planet.
The object was detected using the newly constructed Vera C. Rubin Observatory at the summit of Cerro Pachón in central Chile. This telescope is a collaborative project between the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Additional observations are necessary to validate that the object qualifies as a dwarf planet.
If confirmed, 2026 ED138 would join the ranks of the five dwarf planets acknowledged by the International Astronomical Union, the authority that classifies celestial entities. The recognized dwarf planets include Pluto, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake, all situated beyond the furthest planet Neptune, as well as Ceres, which is found in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
According to the existing data, 2026 ED138 would rank among the largest dwarf planets.
Astrophysicist Matt Holman from the Center for Astrophysics at Harvard & Smithsonian, who first identified 2026 ED138, stated, “What this illustrates is that there are still many thrilling discoveries to be made with the Rubin Observatory and other telescopes.”
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Once regarded as the ninth planet of the solar system, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union in 2006 due to its failure to meet the organization’s official criteria for a planet. Both Pluto and the newly identified dwarf planet candidate inhabit a cold region of the solar system filled with various icy objects.
Remaining Questions
Uncertainties still exist regarding the size and composition of 2026 ED138. For an object to be classified as a dwarf planet, it must have enough mass for its gravity to shape it into a round form. 2026 ED138 appears to possess the necessary mass; however, further observations are required.
Holman emphasized, “Our primary goal is to determine the physical size of 2026 ED138.”
This video, released Monday by the team behind the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, shows images of more than 2,000 new asteroids.
Holman explained, “When we observe with Rubin, we are detecting the sunlight reflected off the object. A smaller, highly reflective object would emit the same light as a larger, less reflective one. Luckily, by observing at longer wavelengths with a facility like ALMA, we can capture the light emitted by the object itself,” which aids in determining its size.
ALMA, or the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, is another advanced telescope also located in Chile.
The announcement of this discovery was made during a scientific conference held in Spokane, Washington.
