Kuiper Belt Object 2002 XV93 Found to Have Atmosphere
Astronomers have discovered that a small icy rock, 2002 XV93, in the Kuiper Belt possesses an atmosphere, a surprising find given its size of only 310 miles in diameter. Led by Ko Arimatsu from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, the team used stellar occultation to detect the atmosphere, which bends and scatters light from distant stars. The source of the atmosphere is uncertain, with theories suggesting ice volcanoes or a recent collision as possible causes. The study challenges the notion that only larger bodies can maintain atmospheres. 
