Astrology

Astronomers have found a possible dwarf planet beyond Pluto

Astronomers have detected an object beyond Pluto that could qualify as a dwarf planet, Heraldo USA reports. Provisionally named 2026 ED138, it was found in observations from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, but its size and shape need further study before its classification can be confirmed.

The discovery was announced at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society's division for planetary sciences in Spokane, Washington, according to National Geographic. If confirmed, the object would join five dwarf planets formally recognized by the International Astronomical Union: Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake and Eris.

Published

Rubin data revealed a distant object#

The finding came from data gathered by the observatory in early 2026, Heraldo USA reports. Astrophysicist Matthew Holman used a computer program to examine billions of detections of moving objects. The observatory, which began operating in 2025, has a high-capacity digital camera.

Researchers estimate that 2026 ED138 is between 600 and 1,500 kilometers across, according to The Business Standard. It is about 46 times as far from the Sun as Earth is. Pluto's average distance from the Sun is about 40 times the Earth-Sun distance.

National Geographic places the object in the Kuiper Belt, a region of icy bodies beyond Neptune. Heraldo USA says the object's position in the Southern Hemisphere made it harder to detect because fewer telescopes there scan the sky for bodies of this kind.

Dwarf planet status remains unconfirmed#

A dwarf planet must orbit the Sun, be roughly round and have an orbit that has not been cleared of other bodies of similar size, Heraldo USA reports. According to The Business Standard, an object must be massive enough that its gravity makes it round.

The five recognized dwarf planets occupy different parts of the solar system, according to The Business Standard. Pluto, Eris, Haumea and Makemake orbit beyond Neptune, while Ceres is in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Pluto was previously classified as a planet, The Times of India notes.

Questions remain about the candidate's size and composition, The Business Standard reports. National Geographic says observations with other telescopes are needed to verify its size and round shape before it can join the recognized dwarf planets.

Discover more