Astronomers May Have Just Discovered Our Solar System's Sixth Dwarf Planet
Astronomers using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory have discovered 2026 ED138, a large object beyond Neptune that could become the solar system's sixth recognized dwarf planet if further observations confirm it is massive enough to be round. Located about 46 times farther from the Sun than Earth, the object is estimated to be 600 to 1,500 kilometers wide and had remained hidden because it lies…
Astronomers have potentially discovered our solar system's sixth dwarf planet using data from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. Named 2026 ED138, this distant object lies approximately 46 times farther from the Sun than Earth. Estimated to be between 600 and 1,500 kilometers wide, its size suggests it could be round, a key criterion for dwarf planet status.
Discovered by Matthew Holman and Kevin Napier of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, the object was hidden by a crowded field of Milky Way stars. Initial observations, spanning from 2016 to July 2026, helped map its orbit. The suspected dwarf planet's unusual 25-degree tilt is thought to stem from Neptune's gravitational influence. While its size is impressive, further observations are needed to confirm its mass and round shape.
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