Scientists Spot Possible New Dwarf Planet Beyond Pluto

Astronomers using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile have detected an icy body, designated 2026 ED138, orbiting far beyond Pluto. The object is estimated to be between 600 and 1,500 km in diameter and resides about 46 astronomical units from the Sun, slightly farther than Pluto's average distance.

If confirmed, 2026 ED138 would join the five dwarf planets currently recognized by the International Astronomical Union—Pluto, Eris, Haumea, Makemake and Ceres. Its size suggests it could be among the larger members of this category, but additional measurements are required to verify its shape and mass.

"For me, what this demonstrates is that many exciting discoveries remain to be made with the Rubin Observatory and other telescopes," said astrophysicist Matt Holman of the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian, who first identified the object.

"The main thing we need to do is to establish the physical size of 2026 ED138," Holman added.

Researchers plan to use longer-wavelength observations with facilities such as the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to measure the object's own emitted light, which will help determine its true dimensions.

The finding was presented at a scientific conference in Spokane, Washington.