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Giant Icy World Beyond Pluto Could Become Our Sixth Dwarf Planet
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What Happened?
Astronomers have discovered a large icy object, 2026 ED138, beyond Pluto, which may be confirmed as the sixth dwarf planet in our solar system. The discovery was made using the Simonyi Survey Telescope.
Key points
- 2026 ED138 is among the largest dwarf planet candidates found beyond Neptune.
- The object was discovered by Matthew Holman and verified by Mario Jurić.
- ED138 lies approximately 46 astronomical units from the Sun.
- It could measure between 600 to 1,500 kilometers across.
- Rubin Observatory's advanced technology helped in identifying ED138.
Key insights
- If confirmed, ED138 would join a select group of recognized dwarf planets.
- The discovery highlights the capabilities of modern telescopes in uncovering distant objects.
- Understanding ED138's properties may provide insights into the solar system's history.
Why it matters
The discovery could enhance our understanding of the solar system's formation and the characteristics of distant celestial bodies.
Tags
Entities
2026 ED138· LocationPluto· LocationRubin Observatory· OrganizationNASA· OrganizationMatthew Holman· PersonMario Jurić· Person
Source
Science Daily