Scientists detect thin atmosphere around 2002 XV93, 2nd beyond Neptune
Scientists discovered an atmosphere around 2002 XV93 on January 10, 2024, a tiny frozen object way out in the Kuiper Belt, making it only the second object beyond Neptune (after Pluto) with an atmosphere.
The catch? This one's insanely thin, about five to 10 million times thinner than what we breathe on Earth.
Occultation reveals gasses around 2002 XV93
The discovery happened when Japanese astronomers watched 2002 XV93 pass in front of a star and noticed the starlight faded and came back gradually, hinting at surrounding gasses.
Researchers think things like cryovolcanoes or even recent space collisions might be keeping this fragile atmosphere alive.
Lead scientist Ko Arimatsu says they're planning deeper dives using the James Webb Space Telescope to see if this thin layer sticks around or fades away.