Astronomers working with the Rubin Observatory in Chile have identified a possible new dwarf planet, designated ED138, located beyond Pluto, SpaceWatch.GLOBAL reported on Thursday, 29 October 2026. The finding is described as the observatory's first dwarf planet candidate in our solar system, according to Phys.org.
Coverage of the discovery has spread across several outlets. CNN reported the object as a startling find, quoting the reaction "It's big," while Forbes presented the body under the name ED138 as a massive new world beyond Pluto. Space reported that the object lies beyond Neptune and could be a new dwarf planet.
The reports stop short of confirming ED138's status. It is being treated as a candidate, and no further details on its size, orbit or composition were included in the material available. The Rubin Observatory, based in Chile, is credited across the coverage with the detection.
The designation "dwarf planet" carries a specific meaning in astronomy, and objects in the outer solar system are typically classified only after follow-up observations. The coverage does not indicate what steps remain before ED138 could be formally recognized.
What to watch next: whether further observations confirm ED138 as a dwarf planet or reclassify it as another type of distant solar system body.
