The observable limits of the solar system just stretched even further.
The International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center on Monday announced the discovery of a dwarf planet, 2018 VG18, located 120 astronomical units from the sun, reports CNN. It's the most distant object ever observed in the solar system so far, beating out Eris, the dwarf planet located 96 astronomical units away from the sun that previously held that distinction. One astronomical unit translates into 93 million miles, i.e. the distance between the Earth and the sun, and Pluto is located at 34 astronomical units.
The dwarf planet, which scientists are appropriately nicknaming "Farout," is described as round and pinkish, with a diameter of about 311 miles. Researchers believe it may have an ice-rich body based on the color.
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This discovery came as part of a team of astronomers' search for distant objects in the solar system, including the possibility of a ninth planet, per Carnegie Science. They say that it will "take a few years" to determine the orbit of this dwarf planet, but they believe it likely takes it more than 1,000 years to take a single trip around the sun.
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