Possible New Dwarf Planet Found Lurking Beyond Pluto's Orbit

CHILE — A large and bright object has been spotted in the outer reaches of the solar system, according to a report by T.K. Randall on Unexplained Mysteries, which in turn credits Sky at Night Magazine. The object, designated 2026 ED138, was detected by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile and could be one of the largest dwarf planets yet found in that distant region.

The discovery is credited to Matthew Holman, a member of the Rubin Operations team, who was analysing observatory data in search of moving objects. The report states that this particular candidate stood out because of its size and brightness.

Mr. Holman described his reaction as "excited disbelief." He added that such objects are rare, and that he promptly began checking whether he or the software had made an error.

According to the report, ED138 now lies 46 AU from Earth, an AU being the distance between the Earth and the Sun. Its orbit is tilted, which the article suggests may mean Neptune's gravity disturbed its original path.

The finding is not yet final. Mr. Holman cautioned that the object would join a very small family of worlds only if confirmed as a dwarf planet. He also noted that Rubin will image the whole southern sky repeatedly over ten years, placing other such bodies hiding in areas earlier surveys skipped within reach.