Matthew Holman discovers 2026 ED138, possible dwarf planet beyond Neptune
Technology
Space just got a little more interesting.
Scientists have spotted a huge icy object called 2026 ED138 way out past Neptune, and it might become our solar system's next official dwarf planet.
Discovered by Matthew Holman using the Vera C Rubin Observatory, this thing is between 600 and 1,500km wide, making it one of the largest worlds found in the outer solar system in recent decades.
Researchers tracked 2026 ED138 orbit
Researchers tracked its unusual orbit, about 46 times farther from the sun than Earth, with data going back to 2016.
Its tilted path hints at some wild gravitational run-ins with Neptune in the past.
Next up, scientists will use infrared observations to study its shape and surface, which will help decide if it officially joins Pluto and friends as a dwarf planet.