Karmactive Team
Somewhere beyond Pluto, a large object may be a new dwarf planet. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory spotted it, and scientists are now checking its orbit and size. Until they finish, ED138 remains a candidate, not an officially recognized dwarf planet.
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory announced the object on October 27, 2026. The observatory is jointly funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy. Preliminary data show the object orbits in the outer solar system, beyond Pluto. The Minor Planet Center, part of the International Astronomical Union, gave it the provisional designation ED138. The object sits close to the plane of the Milky Way, where millions of stars make it harder to spot. The NSF says it may be one of the largest dwarf planet candidates ever found.
If you have seen ED138 called a new planet, that claim is premature. It is a candidate. The NSF describes the dwarf planet label as conditional on confirmation. Other telescopes can now observe ED138 to learn more about it.
What Makes a Dwarf Planet
Under the International Astronomical Union's 2006 definition, a dwarf planet orbits the Sun and has enough mass to pull itself into a nearly round shape. It must not have cleared other objects from its orbit, and it must not be a moon. Pluto is the best-known example. For ED138, the open questions are its size and shape. Confirming either will take more observations.
Rubin's camera is the largest ever created, according to the NSF. Its regular monitoring lets it catch objects that move. NSF Program Director Edward Ajhar says Rubin Observatory's superpower is "the ability to clearly capture movement and change among a vast number of objects and phenomena that humans have never seen before." The observatory submitted observations of more than 11,000 new asteroids in April, according to the NSF. This is our inference that more discoveries of this kind may follow. The NSF release gives no count of such objects.
Is ED138 officially a new dwarf planet?
Not yet. Rubin and the NSF describe ED138 as a possible dwarf planet based on preliminary data. Confirmation depends on follow-up observations.
Rubin Observatory has found ED138, a possible dwarf planet beyond Pluto, based on preliminary data. Follow-up observations will show whether it joins the five other known dwarf planets. Check back for updates as new measurements come in.
Related Karmactive coverage: this report and this earlier coverage. The relevant primary update is available from the official source.
