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    Discovery of Mini-Pluto with Atmosphere Challenges Existing Theories

    Section editor: ·Low4 articles covering this·4 news sources·Updated 2 months ago·World
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    Illustration of Mini-Pluto with its thin atmosphere compared to Pluto.

    Here's what it means for you.

    This groundbreaking discovery could redefine our understanding of atmospheric retention on small celestial bodies.

    What happened

    A tiny icy world beyond Pluto has been found to have a thin atmosphere.

    The Context

    • The discovery was made through the observation of the object's dimming and brightening as a star passed behind it.
    • This finding raises questions about the conditions under which atmospheres can exist on small celestial bodies.
    • The object is classified as a 'plutino', a type of trans-Neptunian object.

    Takeaway

    Future studies may reveal more about the formation and sustainability of atmospheres on similar distant objects.

    4 Articles
    The New York Times

    Surprising Signs of an Atmosphere Around a Tiny World, Billions of Miles Away

    Recent observations have indicated that a small celestial body, similar to Pluto, is enveloped in a thin atmosphere, as evidenced by its gradual dimming and brightening when a star passes behind it. This discovery challenges existing assumptions abou...

    2 months ago
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    Live Science

    Icy object beyond Pluto has an atmosphere that shouldn't exist, study suggests

    Observations have revealed that a small, icy object beyond Pluto, measuring approximately 500 kilometers in diameter, possesses an atmosphere, a finding that challenges current scientific assumptions about the ability of small celestial bodies to sus...

    3 months ago
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    Space.com

    A tiny 'plutino' world beyond Neptune has grown a mysterious atmosphere, and we don't know how

    Astronomers have discovered that a tiny trans-Neptunian object, classified as a 'plutino,' possesses a thin atmosphere, a surprising finding made during an occultation event where the object blocked a distant star's light. This unexpected characteris...

    3 months ago
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    Sky News Technology

    New 'Mini-Pluto' discovered with atmosphere beyond Neptune

    Scientists have discovered a new tiny ice world beyond Pluto, which is surrounded by a thin atmosphere. This trans-Neptunian object was observed occulting a background star, as depicted in an artist's impression by Ko Arimatsu from NAOJ.

    3 months ago
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    Sky News

    New 'Mini-Pluto' discovered with atmosphere beyond Neptune

    Scientists have discovered a new tiny ice world beyond Pluto, which is surrounded by a thin atmosphere. This trans-Neptunian object was observed occulting a background star, as depicted in an artist's impression by Ko Arimatsu from NAOJ.

    3 months ago
    Read Full Article