Rubin Observatory finds its first dwarf planet candidate

Astronomers analyzing data from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile have spotted an icy world, 2026 ED138, that could join Pluto as a dwarf planet. It lies about 46 AU from the Sun and is estimated at 600–1,500 km across.

• 2026 ED138 is about 46 AU from the Sun, versus roughly 40 AU for Pluto
• Its estimated 600–1,500 km diameter should be enough for gravity to make it round
• Archival images confirmed observations back to March 4, and ADAM precovery data to 2016
• It is the largest trans-Neptunian object found in about 20 years