Monday, 2 November 2026

There may be a new dwarf planet just beyond Pluto

 

NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory/NOIRLab/SLAC/AURA Image courtesy of M. Juric (UW), D. de Martin & M. Zamani (NSF NOIRLab)

Joel Kontinen

Astronomers spotted what appears to be a dwarf planet in the outer solar system using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory – if confirmed, it joins a small and exclusive club.

A mosaic of images captured by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory of the newly discovered dwarf planet candidate ED138.

There might be a new dwarf planet beyond Pluto. This suggestion was presented by researchers who have looked up at the sky past Pluto.

The small club of dwarf planets in our solar system may have just grown by one. Astronomers using the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile have spotted an object beyond Pluto that seems to be big enough to qualify as a dwarf planet. In fact, it is one of the largest dwarf planet candidates we have spotted so far from the sun.

Source:

Leah Crane 2026 There may be a new dwarf planet just beyond Pluto | New Scientist 28 October