행성 과학

A team of astronomers in Japan has discovered evidence of a faint atmosphere surrounding the small trans-Neptunian object 2002 XV93. Previously, only Pluto was known to retain an atmosphere among bodies beyond Neptune due to its stronger gravity. The finding, made via a rare stellar occultation on January 10, 2024 and published in Nature Astronomy, indicates a short-lived atmosphere requiring continuous replenishment.