GoKawiilRubin Observatory data reveals distant object 2026 ED138, a possible dwarf planet
Astronomers Matthew Holman and Kevin Napier identified an unusually bright object while analyzing data from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile. The object, designated 2026 ED138, orbits the sun roughly every 281 years at a distance about 46 times farther from the sun than Earth, and researchers confirmed its path using archival images dating back to 1937.
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Scientists say they still need to measure the object's actual size before it can be classified as a dwarf planet, since brightness alone can be misleading. The discovery illustrates how new survey telescopes like Rubin can uncover previously unseen bodies in the outer solar system, potentially reshaping understanding of what lies beyond Pluto.
- 2026 ED138 takes about 281 years to orbit the sun and sits roughly 46 times farther from the sun than Earth.
- Researchers confirmed the object's orbit using archival data going back to 1937.
- Its size must still be determined before it can be formally classified as a dwarf planet.
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Published there as: “Dwarf planet candidate appears which takes roughly 280 years to orbit our sun”
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