Solar System stability and potential new dwarf planet identified

New astronomical research suggests the Solar System may face instability much sooner than previously estimated. A study led by the California Institute of Technology, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, indicates that once the Sun exhausts its hydrogen and transforms into a white dwarf, the outer planets could face a chaotic fate.

By analyzing 672 scenarios involving the orbits of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, researchers found that in 96% of cases, fatal instability occurs within three billion years of the white dwarf formation. In 40% of scenarios, orbital issues begin even earlier, potentially leading to the ejection of planets or the swapping of orbits between Uranus and Neptune.

Separately, data from the Vera Rubin telescope has identified a potential new dwarf planet, currently designated ED138. This icy body is estimated to be between 600 and 1,500 kilometers in diameter. If confirmed, it would join the ranks of officially recognized dwarf planets such as Pluto, Ceres, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake, orbiting at a distance of approximately 46 astronomical units from the Sun.