US NOIRLab: Scientists expect more discoveries like ED138 beyond Neptune - EXCLUSIVE

The discovery of 2026 ED138, a candidate dwarf planet beyond the orbit of Neptune, could be just one of several findings of its kind expected in the coming years, according to the source at the US National Science Foundation's NOIRLab, which has provided exclusive comments to CE Report.

The object was identified through observations conducted by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, whose extensive sky coverage and advanced search algorithms enabled researchers to detect it despite its position against the dense background of the Milky Way.

In written responses to CE Report, NSF NOIRLab said that proposals for follow-up observations of 2026 ED138 had been submitted by numerous research groups seeking to establish its physical characteristics and better understand its place among trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs).

Several major astronomical facilities could contribute to this research. Observations using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) would help determine the object's size and albedo, a measure of how much sunlight its surface reflects.

The Hubble Space Telescope could help researchers identify potential moons orbiting ED138, while the James Webb Space Telescope would provide information about its surface composition.

These observations could offer important insights into the object's physical properties and help scientists assess its classification. At present, ED138 remains a dwarf planet candidate rather than an officially recognised dwarf planet.

The object's orbital characteristics are already relatively well established. According to NSF NOIRLab, researchers have identified 2026 ED138 in astronomical observations dating back to the 1930s.

"The orbit is now very well known," the organisation told CE Report, highlighting the historical observations that have contributed to determining its trajectory.

The discovery may also have implications for researchers studying the population of large objects in the distant Solar System. Asked whether ED138 provides evidence of a previously undetected population of large trans-Neptunian bodies, NSF NOIRLab suggested that further discoveries are likely.

"The discovery of 2026 ED138 suggests that there are a few such objects left to be found," it said.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory's observing strategy has played a central role in making such discoveries possible. The telescope repeatedly surveys the entire sky visible from its location in Chile, allowing researchers to identify objects that might otherwise remain undetected.

NSF NOIRLab attributed the discovery to this extensive sky coverage combined with newly developed search algorithms.

The findings also raise questions about whether observations of distant Solar System objects could eventually contribute to the search for an additional undiscovered planet, sometimes discussed in connection with the Planet Nine hypothesis.

However, NSF NOIRLab stressed that ED138 itself does not provide direct evidence for such a planet.

The organisation explained that the object does not follow a highly elliptical orbit that might be influenced by the gravitational presence of another distant planetary body.

Nevertheless, the discovery demonstrates the potential of the Rubin Observatory to identify much larger and more distant objects.

According to NSF NOIRLab, ED138 and other trans-Neptunian discoveries made using Rubin and its search algorithms demonstrate that researchers now have the capability to detect additional planets, provided they lie within the regions the observatory will survey and are sufficiently bright to be detected.

As the observatory continues its observations, scientists may therefore uncover further objects that could reshape our understanding of the outer Solar System and its formation.

Photo: Pexels (Free Stock Photos)​

This article was prepared by Julian Müller