Astronomers have discovered a rare object in the outer solar system that moves in rhythm with Neptune’s gravitational pull, challenging our understanding of distant cosmic bodies. The object, 2020 VN40, orbits the Sun once for every ten orbits of Neptune, making it the first confirmed body to exhibit this behavior.
The discovery was made by the Large inclination Distant Objects (LiDO) survey and published in The Planetary Science Journal. Led by Rosemary Pike from the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, the team used telescopes like the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and Gemini Observatory to search for unusual objects in the outer solar system.
The object’s average distance from the Sun is about 140 times greater than Earth’s, and its orbit follows a highly tilted path. What makes 2020 VN40 unique is that it comes closest to the Sun when Neptune is nearby, defying the expected pattern of objects with similar orbits.
This discovery has significant implications for our understanding of the solar system’s evolution and the movement of distant objects. It suggests that highly tilted orbits can lead to new and unexpected types of motion, challenging current theories.
The LiDO survey has already discovered over 140 distant objects, and future surveys using telescopes like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory are expected to reveal more discoveries like 2020 VN40. As Kathryn Volk from the Planetary Science Institute said, “This is just the beginning,” opening a new window into the solar system’s past.
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250720091630.htm