Rubin Observatory Identifies a Dwarf Planet Candidate Beyond Pluto
Astronomers using the NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory have identified a new dwarf planet candidate in the outer Solar System. The object lies just beyond Pluto’s orbit and has not yet been confirmed as a dwarf planet.
The discovery highlights Rubin Observatory’s role in surveying the sky and searching for distant Solar System bodies. Further observations will be needed to establish the object’s size, composition, and other properties, as well as determine whether it meets the criteria for dwarf-planet status.