Vera C. Rubin Observatory discovers potential new dwarf planet

Astronomers using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile have identified a massive, icy celestial body designated as 2026 ED138. Located in the Kuiper Belt, the object orbits the Sun at approximately 46 astronomical units, placing it further out than Pluto, which averages 40 astronomical units.

Preliminary estimates suggest the object has a diameter between 600 and 1,500 kilometers. Due to its size, scientists believe its gravity may have already shaped it into a sphere, a key requirement for dwarf planet classification. If confirmed by the International Astronomical Union, 2026 ED138 would become the sixth recognized dwarf planet in our solar system, joining Ceres, Pluto, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake.

The discovery was made by Matthew Holman of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, who utilized specialized search algorithms developed with Kevin Napier. The object remained undetected for years because its orbital path passes through the crowded galactic plane of the Milky Way, where the light from millions of stars typically obscures faint, moving objects. Researchers were able to confirm the object by analyzing multiple data sets and archival images dating back to 2016.