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Rubin Observatory Discovers Possible New Dwarf Planet
Gizmodo • • general
Key Points:
- The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, just four months into its decade-long survey, has discovered a new icy world beyond Pluto, provisionally named 2026 ED138, which may be the solar system’s sixth dwarf planet.
- This trans-Neptunian object, approximately 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) across, is one of the largest and brightest found in this distant region in about 20 years.
- The discovery was made using Rubin’s powerful digital camera and advanced algorithms that analyze billions of data points, allowing scientists to detect ED138 despite its location in a star-crowded area near the Milky Way’s plane.
- ED138 orbits the Sun at about 46 astronomical units, farther than Pluto, and its size and brightness suggest it is likely round, meeting key criteria for dwarf planet status pending further observations.
- The finding highlights the Rubin Observatory’s extraordinary capabilities and promises more groundbreaking discoveries as it continues its comprehensive survey of the southern hemisphere sky.
