Mysterious world beyond Pluto may have an atmosphere, astronomers say
CBS News • • general
Key Points:
- A new study reports that the small Kuiper Belt object (612533) 2002 XV93, about 300 miles across and located beyond Pluto, may have a thin atmosphere possibly formed by ice volcanoes or a comet impact.
- This object would be the smallest known with a gravity-bound global atmosphere and only the second world beyond Neptune, after Pluto, confirmed to host an atmosphere.
- The atmosphere is extremely tenuous—5 to 10 million times thinner than Earth's and 50 to 100 times thinner than Pluto's—likely composed of methane, nitrogen, or carbon monoxide.
- Researchers used stellar occultation observations from Japanese telescopes in 2024 to detect the atmosphere, but independent verification, including with NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, is needed to confirm the findings.
- Some astronomers urge caution, suggesting alternative explanations like a ring system; meanwhile, discussions continue about Pluto's planetary status amid NASA budget debates.
