"It shows that Makemake is not an inactive remnant of the outer solar system, but a dynamic body where methane ice is still ...

The methane gas may constitute a rarefied atmosphere, or it may come from erupting plumes on Makemake’s surface.

More than 50 times further from the Sun than Earth, the tiny dwarf planet Makemake is one of the last places you'd expect to ...

Scientists have discovered methane gas on the dwarf planet Makemake, a finding that has surprised astronomers studying the outer solar system.

Methane gas may signal an atmosphere or geological activity on a distant dwarf planet located at the outer edge of the Solar System. A research team led by the Southwest Research Institute has ...

Hubble discovered a white dwarf planet devouring a Pluto-like object, revealing debris rich in water and nitrogen.

Our Solar System is home to many unique planetary bodies, including protoplanets and dwarf planets. Here are the unique traits that differentiate the two.

Alfredo has a PhD in Astrophysics and a Master's in Quantum Fields and Fundamental Forces from Imperial College London.View full profile Alfredo has a PhD in Astrophysics and a Master's in Quantum ...

On August 24, 2006, our solar system lost a planet. It wasn't by cataclysmic destruction, but rather by the vote of the International Astronomical Union, which declared that Pluto, considered the ...

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A composite of enhanced color images of Pluto and Charon taken by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft ...

Astronomers have uncovered a massive new trans-Neptunian object, 2017 OF201, lurking at the edge of our solar system. With an orbit stretching 25,000 years and a size that may qualify it as a dwarf ...

Scientists have begun their study of the fourth planet from the TRAPPIST-1 star. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / Joseph Olmsted illustration As scientists continue to study a distant star system ...