Possible new dwarf planet spotted near the edge of the solar system

A large object about 435 miles (700 km) wide has been discovered in the outer regions of the solar system. This object, named 2017 OF201, orbits the sun in an elongated path and is considered to be one of the most distant visible objects in our solar system. Its existence challenges the belief that the area beyond Neptune and the Kuiper Belt is empty, as it is inhabited by numerous icy bodies.

2017 OF201 falls under the category of trans-Neptunian objects, which orbit the sun beyond Neptune. It takes approximately 25,000 years to complete one orbit around the sun. The discovery of 2017 OF201 was made through observations made by telescopes in Chile and Hawaii over a span of seven years.

Astrophysicist Sihao Cheng, along with collaborators Jiaxuan Li and Eritas Yang, led the study that identified 2017 OF201. The object’s size is estimated to be slightly smaller than Ceres, which is the smallest of the five recognized dwarf planets in our solar system. Although its shape and composition are unknown, it is believed to be similar to other icy bodies.

The discovery of 2017 OF201 was announced by the Minor Planet Center of the International Astronomical Union and has not yet been peer-reviewed. Its extreme orbit, possibly influenced by a past encounter with a giant planet, challenges existing hypotheses about the structure of the outer solar system. This discovery also raises questions about the existence of a ninth planet in our solar system, known as Planet X or Planet Nine.