Astronomers using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile have identified a distant icy object, provisionally named 2026 ED138, orbiting about 46 astronomical units from the Sun. Based on its brightness and estimated reflectivity, researchers believe it measures between 600 and 1,500 km across, potentially making it the largest trans-Neptunian object found in two decades. The object was detected by Harvard astrophysicist Matthew Holman using a search code, then confirmed across 30 images spanning 20 nights, with older data tracing its path back to 2016.
techspot.com
· 2026-11-01
Astronomers at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile announced detection of an object, provisionally named 2026 ED138, orbiting about 4.3 billion miles from the Sun, roughly 46 times Earth's distance. Early estimates put its diameter between 370 and 930 miles, and its orbit is tilted 25 degrees from the plane most planets follow. If confirmed, it would be the first new dwarf planet classified since the International Astronomical Union set the category's rules in 2006.
futurism.com
· 2026-10-28
Pluto Security, which recently exited stealth, has raised $42 million across a $8.5 million seed round led by TLV Partners and a $34 million Series A led by Jump Capital. CEO Shahar Bahat says the company has surpassed $2 million in annual recurring revenue since starting sales in April, signing more than 30 enterprise customers including Oscar Health, Workato, Sixt, and AlphaSense. The startup's tools give companies visibility and risk analysis into how employees use AI tools, including apps built by non-developers in finance, marketing, and legal departments.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-13
Data from the Voyager, Galileo and Cassini missions, combined with modeling and observations from Hubble and Webb, has revealed that at least six moons and dwarf planets in the outer solar system—including Europa, Enceladus, Titan, Mimas and Callisto—harbor liquid water oceans beneath their icy surfaces. Even Pluto is now considered a candidate ocean world, suggesting many undiscovered Kuiper Belt objects could conceal similar hidden seas.
mceglowski.substack.com
· 2026-09-06
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, currently nearing the outer boundary of the solar system as it heads toward interstellar space, risks losing two of its scientific instruments at this critical juncture. The timing is significant because the probe is approaching a region where continuous data collection is essential for understanding the transition beyond the sun's influence.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-09-03
Sony has launched a free, ad-supported live TV feature built into the PS5's main menu for US users, offering over 100 channels without needing to download an app. Content includes live sports, news, and shows from partners like Fox, NBC, NASCAR, UFC, and Crunchyroll, accessible via a cable-style channel guide. Sony plans to expand the service to Canada and other regions, though no timeline has been given.
techspot.com
· 2026-09-01
Two decades after the International Astronomical Union voted in 2006 to reclassify Pluto as a dwarf planet, a vocal group of scientists, historians and enthusiasts continue to push back against that decision. Critics like Philip Metzger of the University of Central Florida argue the IAU's planetary definition is scientifically unworkable, while others such as writer Laurel Kornfeld have campaigned against the ruling since the day it was announced. The dispute remains largely an American phenomenon, tied partly to national pride since Pluto was discovered by a US astronomer in 1930.
theguardian.com
· 2026-08-31
It has been two decades since the International Astronomical Union voted in August 2006 to strip Pluto of its planetary status, reclassifying it as a dwarf planet after astronomers discovered a similarly sized object, later named Eris, in 2005. The decision remains contentious, with figures like NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and actor William Shatner recently arguing Pluto deserves to be called a planet again.
cnet.com
· 2026-08-24
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