Subscribe to one of our news e-mail lists . If confirmed, the new asteroid would be second in size only to asteroid Ceres. Astronomers have discovered a new object orbiting the sun that is smaller than a planet but larger than most known asteroids. The object is classified as a minor planet, like thousands of other asteroids and comets in our solar system.
Astronomers officially recognize nine major planets.
EB173 is too small to fit that category. Astronomers believe the Kuiper Belt is filled with hundreds of thousands of small, icy objects. Several, including EB173, are much larger. Pluto was discovered by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930. Many astronomers believe it would be classified as a minor planet in the Kuiper Belt if it were found today.