Astronomers Identify Potential Dwarf Planet Candidate Beyond Pluto
Astronomers have identified a potential new dwarf planet candidate, provisionally named ED138, orbiting beyond Pluto. The discovery was made using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory located in Chile. Further observations are required to confirm its status as a dwarf planet.
Denver, CO, October 28, 2026 —
Astronomers have identified a potential dwarf planet candidate beyond Pluto, provisionally named ED138. The discovery was made using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, according to the information available about the finding.
ED138 has not yet been confirmed as a dwarf planet. Further observations are required before its status can be established, leaving its classification provisional. The available information does not specify when the object was identified or what additional observations are planned.
The summary of the discovery also does not provide details about ED138’s size, orbit, distance from Pluto, or the astronomers involved. It does not describe the observation process beyond identifying the Vera C. Rubin Observatory as the facility used in the discovery. No date for a confirmation decision was provided.
For now, the central point is the distinction between a candidate and a confirmed dwarf planet: ED138 has been identified as a possible member of that category, but further observations are needed to determine whether it qualifies. Until then, its provisional name and candidate status reflect the uncertainty that remains.
Additional findings could clarify the object’s status, but no results from follow-up observations were included in the available information. The discovery details provided do not indicate how many observations have been made, when further observations might occur, or what criteria will be used to confirm the classification.
Story summarized from the original created by Jacopo Prisco, CNN on www.denver7.com, see more information here.