Vera Rubin Discovers its First Dwarf Planet Candidate
Data de publicação:
Discovery images of 2026 ED₁₃₈ from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, March–July 2026
On 13 October 2026, researchers from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile announced the discovery of a previously unknown trans-Neptunian object called 2026 ED₁₃₈. First observed in March 2026, initial estimates place the object around 600–1,500 km in diameter, making it one of the largest TNOs ever known and is likely to be a dwarf planet candidate as a result. At the time of discovery, 2026 ED₁₃₈ is located around 46 AU from the Sun, and completes an orbit once every 282 years or so.
An add-on for 2026 ED₁₃₈ is available for download on Celestia here.
Source: NOIRLab
Size comparison of 2026 ED₁₃₈ with the largest known TNOs
Credit: zelario (a.k.a. fyr02)
Orbit around the Sun
Diagram showing the tilted orbits of 2026 ED₁₃₈ (blue) and the other dwarf planets (yellow)