Rubin Observatory data reveal large candidate for sixth dwarf planet
A scientist analysing pre-operation data from the Rubin Observatory has identified 2026 ED138, a strong candidate for the Solar System’s sixth known dwarf planet. The discovery matters because the distant object may be unusually large and could be the smallest dwarf planet yet observed.
The object orbits about 46 astronomical units from the Sun, compared with Pluto’s average distance of 40, and is estimated to be 600 to 1,500 kilometres across. Researchers found ten years of supporting records after the search software flagged it on 13 October; the Minor Planet Center reviewed the work and announced the discovery. ED138 may have gone unnoticed because it lies near the Milky Way’s crowded plane, and its dwarf-planet status remains to be confirmed.
In short
- Rubin Observatory data revealed a strong dwarf-planet candidate.
- 2026 ED138 orbits about 46 astronomical units from the Sun.
- It may be 600 to 1,500 kilometres wide.
Explained simply
Dwarf planets orbit the Sun like planets, but unlike the eight major planets, they have not cleared other objects from their orbital neighbourhood. Pluto is the best-known example; four other bodies are officially recognised as dwarf planets.
Rubin Observatory in Chile is built to survey the sky repeatedly, helping researchers find objects that move against the background stars. The Minor Planet Center records and checks reports of small bodies in the Solar System. Objects far beyond Neptune are faint and difficult to spot, especially against the crowded band of stars in the Milky Way.
A body’s size and shape help determine whether it qualifies as a dwarf planet, so estimates alone do not settle its status. Finding more distant objects helps scientists compare the Solar System’s outer regions and understand how they formed.
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Originally published by The Register as “Boffin’s software found a possible dwarf planet – a result so rare he thought it must be a bug”.
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