The orbit of the newly discovered dwarf planet Ammonite (2023 KQ14, in red) compared to the orbits of three other known sednoids (in white). (Image courtesy of NAOJ)
Astronomers have discovered a possible new dwarf planet orbiting far beyond the orbit of Pluto. The object, first spotted in March 2023 by Japan's Subaru Telescope in Hawaii, has been named 2023 KQ14 and nicknamed “Ammonite.” The ammonite's discovery also casts doubt on the “Planet Nine” hypothesis, which suggests that there is an as-yet-undiscovered ninth planet in our solar system.
A team of researchers led by Japanese scientists announced the discovery of the ammonite in a paper published July 14 in the journal Nature Astronomy. The name “ammonite” comes from the fossil of a long-extinct cephalopod, as it was discovered as part of the Forging the Outer Solar System: Icy Legacy (FOSSIL) research project.
The ammonite is classified as a sednoid, an object beyond Neptune — the outermost confirmed planet in the solar system — with an unusual orbit. It is the fourth sednoid to be discovered. The term “sednoid” comes from the name of the dwarf planet Sedna, which is located at the edge of the solar system and was discovered in 2004.
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