A tiny frozen world in the outer Solar System has been found to have an atmosphere, making it only the second object beyond Neptune, after Pluto, known to have one.
The finding, published in Nature Astronomy, could mean that such mini worlds are much more active than planetary scientists had believed.
The world, known as 2002 XV93, is a minor planet and a Trans Neptunian Object (TNO), meaning it orbits the Sun somewhere beyond the orbit of Neptune in a region known as the Kuiper Belt.
A miniature Pluto
The atmosphere of 2002 XV93 is around 5 to 10 million times thinner than Earth’s – so thin you wouldn’t be able to feel a breeze if you were standing on the surface.
