A new study suggests a tiny, icy world far beyond Pluto may be hiding a fragile atmosphere. The finding could shift how scientists view the distant edges of our solar system. Researchers in Japan detected the faint signature around the object known as 2002 XV93. Some astronomers even call it a “mini Pluto.”
The world measures only about 300 miles across, yet appears to hold a global atmosphere. Scientists believe it may have formed after volcanic activity or a powerful impact. They observed the object as it passed in front of a distant star. That brief dimming revealed an atmosphere far thinner than Pluto’s and millions of times thinner than Earth’s.
The gases involved may include methane, nitrogen, or carbon monoxide. The object orbits the sun in sync with Neptune, making it part of a group known as plutinos. It sits more than 3.4 billion miles from Earth, even farther than Pluto itself. Future observations could confirm what the atmosphere is made of and how long it lasts.
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