Science
Astronomers spot new dwarf planet candidate beyond Pluto
October 28, 2026 at 11:58 PM
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2 reports · 1 in Arabic, 1 in English · over 8 hours
Scientists using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile have detected a new dwarf planet candidate, named ED138, orbiting beyond Pluto.
- Named ED138, the object is estimated at 600–1,500 kilometers in diameter and orbits the sun at about 46 astronomical units, farther than Pluto.
- Astrophysicist Matthew Holman first spotted the candidate in Rubin data, and colleague Mario Jurić confirmed it via 20 additional observations dating to March 2026.
- If confirmed, ED138 will join the five dwarf planets recognized by the International Astronomical Union: Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris.
- Holman said the object remains a candidate, and confirming its physical size will take a few months.