A new dwarf planet, named 2017 OF201, has been discovered in our solar system, located far beyond the orbit of Neptune. The object orbits the sun every 25,000 years and is about 435 miles (700 kilometers) in diameter. It was detected using archival data from the Blanco telescope in Chile and the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope in Hawaii.
The dwarf planet follows an extreme, oblong orbit, taking some 25,000 Earth years to circle the sun. Its closest approach to the sun is nearly 45 AU, a similar distance as its fellow dwarf planet Pluto. The object’s trajectory suggests complex gravitational interactions with Neptune and the Milky Way’s gravity, potentially hinting at multiple migrations.
Researchers estimate that the last close pass of 2017 OF201 to the sun was in 1930, twice as far away from the sun compared to Pluto. At its farthest point, it will be 1,600 AU before starting its journey back inward. The discovery could challenge theories about Planet Nine, a proposed large planet orbiting billions of miles beyond Neptune.
The presence of this single object suggests that there may be other dwarf planets with similar orbits and sizes, but are too far away to detect now. Further observations will be needed to better understand the interactions between 2017 OF201 and the solar system.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/planets/scientists-have-discovered-a-new-dwarf-planet-in-our-solar-system-far-beyond-the-orbit-of-neptune