Astronomers at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory have identified 2026 ED138, a significant object beyond Neptune. This discovery could potentially make it the solar system's sixth dwarf planet, pending confirmation of its spherical shape due to sufficient mass. Located approximately 46 times farther from the Sun than Earth, 2026 ED138 is estimated to be between 600 and 1,500 kilometers wide. The object remained undetected for years because it lies against a densely populated field of Milky Way stars.The discovery involved processing billions of data pieces from the Rubin Observatory using a specialized search code developed by Matthew Holman and Kevin Napier. Holman initially reacted with "excited disbelief" due to the rarity of such objects. Subsequent verification by Holman and Mario Juric revealed 30 more observations from Rubin and even earlier sightings from other tools dating back to 2016. These extensive data allowed astronomers to begin charting 2026 ED138's orbit.Its distance from the Sun makes it more remote than Pluto, and its orbit is tilted approximately 25 degrees from the solar system's plane, possibly due to Neptune's gravitational influence. Initial measurements suggest it is one of the largest dwarf planet candidates found, but size alone is not enough for classification. Further observations are crucial to confirm if 2026 ED138 possesses the mass needed to achieve a round shape, a defining characteristic for dwarf planets. Its location in a star-dense region of the sky explains its previous elusiveness.