Overview
- 2002 XV93, observed during a stellar occultation on January 10, 2024, dimmed a background star gradually, revealing a global atmosphere.
- The team reports a surface pressure of about 100–200 nanobar, which is roughly five to ten millionths of Earth's air.
- The gas is likely dominated by nitrogen with traces of methane or carbon monoxide, a mix similar to Pluto's.
- James Webb Space Telescope data show no surface frost, pointing to a recent impact or ongoing cryovolcanism as the source and implying a lifetime of up to about 1,000 years.
- The object is about 550 kilometers across and appears round, and researchers plan further occultation campaigns to test whether the atmosphere persists.