Mysterious world beyond Pluto may have an atmosphere, astronomers say
Updated on: May 4, 2026 / 12:15 PM EDT / CBS/AP
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A new study suggests that a tiny, icy world beyond Pluto harbors a thin, delicate atmosphere that may have been created by volcanic eruptions or a comet strike.
Just 300 miles or so across, this mini Pluto is thought to be the solar system's smallest object yet with a clearly detected global atmosphere bound by gravity, said lead researcher Ko Arimatsu of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.
