Astronomers have discovered a new dwarf planet candidate in the distant regions of the Solar System.
Researchers using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile have detected a large and icy object moving beyond the orbit of Pluto.
The object, called 2026 ED138, was determined to be in an orbit approximately 46 times farther from the Sun than the Earth.
By comparison, Pluto orbits the Sun at an average distance 40 times farther than Earth.
Researchers calculated that the diameter of the newly discovered object could be approximately 600 to 1500 kilometers. However, new observations need to be made to determine its exact size and physical properties.
If 2026 ED138 is classified as a dwarf planet, the number of dwarf planets officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) will increase to six.
There are five dwarf planets recognized by the IAU. Of these, Pluto, Eris, Haumea and Makemake are located beyond Neptune, while Ceres is located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
According to first measurements, it is stated that 2026 ED138 may be one of the largest celestial bodies in this class if it gains dwarf planet status.
'THERE IS A LOT MORE TO DISCOVER'
Astrophysicist Matt Holman from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, who first detected 2026 ED138, stated that the discovery could open the door to a new era in research on the Solar System.
“To me, this discovery shows that many exciting discoveries can still be made with the Rubin Observatory and other telescopes,” Holman said.
The new celestial object was detected through the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, located at the top of Cerro Pachón Mountain in central Chile.
The observatory operates as a joint venture between the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the US Department of Energy.
WHY DID PLUTO LOST ITS PLANET STATUS?
Pluto, which was considered the ninth and most distant planet of the Solar System for many years, was reclassified by the International Astronomical Union in 2006.
It was decided that Pluto did not meet the condition of gravitationally dominating other celestial bodies around its orbit, which is included in the definition of planet. Thus, Pluto was classified as a dwarf planet.
Like Pluto, the newly discovered 2026 ED138 is located in one of the remote and cold regions of the Solar System that hosts many icy objects.
In order for a celestial body to be considered a dwarf planet, it must have sufficient mass and take an approximately spherical shape under the influence of its own gravity.
Researchers think that 2026 ED138 is large enough to meet this condition. However, the actual diameter and structure of the object are not yet known for certain.
Astrophysicist Matt Holman said that in the next phase of the research, they will focus on determining the physical dimensions of the object.
"The most important thing we need to do is to precisely determine the physical size of 2026 ED138," Holman said.
THE SECOND TELESCOPE IN CHILE WILL BE COMMISSIONED
Researchers plan to use the ALMA telescope in Chile to measure the dimensions of the celestial body more precisely.
Holman explained that the Vera C. Rubin Observatory detected the sunlight reflected from the celestial object, but this method alone was not sufficient for accurate size measurement.
He pointed out that a small but highly reflective object may appear to have the same brightness as a larger but less light-reflecting object.
Holman stated that telescopes that can observe at longer wavelengths, such as ALMA, can help calculate the actual size of the object by detecting the radiation emitted from it.
The Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA), one of the world's most powerful radio telescope systems, is located in the Atacama Desert in Chile.
The discovery of 2026 ED138 was announced at a scientific meeting held in Spokane, Washington state, USA.
