# Astronomers Detect Potential Dwarf Planet Beyond Pluto

- Topic: science
- Source: [Wired](https://www.wired.com/story/astronomers-discover-a-possible-new-dwarf-planet-in-our-solar-system/)
- Published: 2026-10-29
- Original: https://www.wired.com/story/astronomers-discover-a-possible-new-dwarf-planet-in-our-solar-system/
- Language: en
- Image: https://media.wired.com/photos/6ae26ce6735e20536e98e3d0/master/pass/noirlab2626b.jpg

## At a glance

- Astronomers using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory discovered a distant trans-Neptunian object provisionally designated 2026 ED138.
- The prospective dwarf planet spans between 600 and 1,500 kilometers wide and orbits 46 astronomical units away from the sun.
- Archival telescope records dating to 2016 helped researchers reconstruct more than ten years of the candidate's orbital path.
- Official dwarf planet status requires scientists to confirm that the object's gravity has pulled it into a nearly spherical shape.

## Sources

- [Wired](https://www.wired.com/story/astronomers-discover-a-possible-new-dwarf-planet-in-our-solar-system/)

## The story

Astronomers working with Chile's Vera C. Rubin Observatory have detected a massive trans-Neptunian object that could be classified as a dwarf planet. The celestial body, provisionally designated 2026 ED138, orbits roughly 46 astronomical units from the sun, placing it farther out than Pluto. Researchers estimate that the object measures between 600 and 1,500 kilometers across, making it potentially one of the brightest and largest known bodies in the outer solar system.

Matthew Holman of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics spotted the candidate on October 13 while examining telescope survey data. Archival searches subsequently revealed records of the object going back to 2016, enabling scientists to map more than a decade of its orbital trajectory. The body had previously eluded detection because its position aligns with the crowded, luminous starry backdrop of the Milky Way galaxy.

Researchers must still determine the precise size and mass of 2026 ED138 before confirming its status. To be recognized by the International Astronomical Union, an object must possess sufficient self-gravity to achieve a nearly spherical shape. If certified, it would join five currently recognized dwarf planets, including Pluto and Ceres.

> Summary by Daily Read Bytes. [Read the original source](https://www.wired.com/story/astronomers-discover-a-possible-new-dwarf-planet-in-our-solar-system/)