Astronomers say Pluto’s thin atmosphere appears to be beginning to freeze and collapse as the dwarf planet continues moving farther from the Sun.

Researchers studied 10 stellar occultations between 2017 and 2023 and found that Pluto’s atmospheric pressure dropped by about 16% between mid-2021 and 2023.

The findings suggest nitrogen in Pluto’s atmosphere is beginning to condense and settle as frost on its extremely cold surface.

Pluto will continue moving away from the Sun until it reaches its farthest point in 2114, when its atmosphere could become even thinner, Space.com has reported.

Scientists expect the atmosphere to gradually thicken again as Pluto moves back toward the Sun and solar heating causes nitrogen frost to evaporate.