An artist’s impression of the trans-Neptunian object 2002 XV93, the first such object beyond Pluto on which an atmosphere has been detected. The background shows the object as it occults a distant star. | NATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY OF JAPAN / VIA JIJI

A thin atmosphere has been found to exist on one of thousands of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) — small celestial bodies outside the orbit of Neptune, the outermost planet in the solar system — a research team including the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) has said.

It is the first time that an atmosphere has been found on any TNO other than Pluto.

The discovery, which was announced on British journal Nature Astronomy on Monday, was made through coordinated observations by Japanese professional and amateur astronomers using small telescopes, according to the team.

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