A dwarf planet smaller than California and nearly as far away as Pluto appears to be wrapped in a layer of air！

Astronomers in Japan recently found surprising signs of an atmosphere surrounding a small trans-Neptunian object known as 2002 XV93. The object is only about 300 miles wide and located nearly 3.5 billion miles from the sun, close to the outer edge of the solar system.

“I was genuinely surprised,” astronomer Ko Arimatsu said after leading the discovery. Other scientists were also shocked because objects this small usually do not have enough gravity to keep gases from escaping into space. In addition, temperatures in that region are cold enough to freeze most gases solid.

Astronomers confirmed the existence of an atmosphere when 2002 XV93 passed in front of a distant star in January 2024. Instead of suddenly disappearing, the starlight “blinked”: it gradually dimmed and brightened again, suggesting that light was passing through a thin atmosphere. Scientists compared the effect to sunsets on Earth, when sunlight bends and scatters through the atmosphere.

Researchers are still not completely sure how the atmosphere formed. Some scientists believe gases may have escaped from icy volcanoes or recent impacts on the object’s surface. Others think a ring similar to Saturn’s could explain the unusual observations, although that theory is considered less likely.

The discovery has left many astronomers fascinated and confused. As scientists continue exploring the outer solar system, mysterious objects like 2002 XV93 may challenge what people think they know about space.