Astronomers using the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory have discovered a surprisingly large object in the outer solar system that could eventually be recognized as a new dwarf planet. Currently designated 2026 ED138, the icy world lies in the Kuiper Belt beyond Neptune and is estimated to be somewhere between 600 and 1,500 kilometers (370–930 miles) across. If its dwarf-planet status is confirmed, it could rank among the largest known objects of its kind.
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| The new dwarf planet candidate ED138, discovered with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, orbits beyond Neptune. This map shows its location on May 8, 2026. Image via NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory/NOIRLab/SLAC/AURA/R. Proctor. |
2026 ED138 orbits the Sun at roughly 46 astronomical units (AU), compared with Pluto's average distance of about 40 AU. Astronomers believe the object may be large enough for its own gravity to have pulled it into a roughly spherical shape, an important characteristic of a dwarf planet. Its orbit also appears to be locked in a 7:12 resonance with Neptune, completing seven trips around the Sun for every 12 orbits made by Neptune.
One of the intriguing questions is how such a bright, relatively large object remained undiscovered for so long. The answer may be its location against a densely populated region of the Milky Way, where countless background stars made it difficult to identify. Once astronomers found 2026 ED138 in Rubin observations, they were able to trace it backward through older images from the Dark Energy Camera, finding observations dating to 2016.
More observations will be needed before 2026 ED138's status as a dwarf planet can be confirmed. But the discovery offers an early glimpse of what the Rubin Observatory may uncover during its planned 10-year survey of the southern sky. By repeatedly scanning regions overlooked or difficult for previous surveys, Rubin could reveal additional distant worlds still hiding in the outskirts of our solar system
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