# Discovery of celestial candidates in Chile > Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/discovery-of-celestial-candidates-in-chile > Updated: 2026-10-29T05:40:22.000Z. Sources: 65. Developments: 3. Astronomers utilizing facilities in Chile have identified two significant celestial candidates. Using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, Matthew Holman of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics discovered a massive trans-Neptunian object provisionally designated 2026 ED138. This object, located in the Kuiper Belt at approximately 46 astronomical units from the sun, has an estimated diameter between 600 and 1,500 kilometers and is considered a potential sixth dwarf planet for our solar system. On October 13, 2026, Holman identified the object using specialized search code developed with colleague Kevin Napier to analyze data from the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). The International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center officially announced the finding on October 27. Researchers, including University of Washington professor Mario Juric, utilized archival data dating back to 2016 to model an orbital path spanning over a decade. The object was previously difficult to detect because it resides near the plane of the Milky Way, where background stars often obscure distant bodies. Recent analysis indicates 2026 ED138 has an estimated orbital period of roughly 283 years. While its size is currently being refined, it is considered one of the largest objects discovered in this region of the outer solar system. If its gravity has shaped it into a nearly spherical form, it could join Pluto, Ceres, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake as an officially recognized dwarf planet. Further observations, particularly in infrared wavelengths, are required to confirm its physical size, shape, and surface reflectivity to meet official criteria. In a separate finding, an international team using the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in the Atacama Desert reported evidence of an exomoon within the CD-35 2722 system. High-precision infrared measurements from the CRIRES+ spectrometer suggest an object with at least the mass of Jupiter is orbiting a brown dwarf. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-29: Vera C. Rubin Observatory identifies dwarf planet candidate 2026 ED138 Astronomers using Chile's Vera C. Rubin Observatory have discovered 2026 ED138, a large trans-Neptunian object that is a leading candidate to become the solar system's sixth recognized dwarf planet. 31 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/astronomers-identify-potential-dwarf-planet-and-exomoon-candidates ### 2026-10-29: Astronomers discover potential dwarf planet 2026 ED138 Astronomers have discovered 2026 ED138, a large icy object beyond Pluto that may be a new dwarf planet. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/astronomers-identify-candidate-dwarf-planet-2026-ed138 ### 2026-10-27: Vera C. Rubin Observatory discovers dwarf planet candidate 2026 ED138 Astronomers have discovered 2026 ED138, a large icy object beyond Pluto that may become the solar system's sixth dwarf planet. 31 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vera-c-rubin-observatory-discovers-dwarf-planet-candidate-2026-ed138 --- Cite as: Discovery of celestial candidates in Chile. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/discovery-of-celestial-candidates-in-chile