According to NASA, the candidate planet orbits a Sun-like star approximately 146 light-years away and could be as cold as Mars
NASA reports that scientists have found a far-off, Earth-sized planet which might have the ability to sustain life.
Dubbed HD 137010 b, the candidate planet orbits a Sun-like star some 146 light-years from Earth and could have icy, Mars-like environments. The study’s findings were published this week in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
A global research team with members from Australia, the UK, the US, and Denmark detected the planet using data collected in 2017 by NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope during its extended K2 mission. HD 137010 b was spotted during a brief transit—when it passed in front of its host star, causing a small dimming event.
Study co-author Chelsea Huang from the University of Southern Queensland notes that the planet’s orbit is similar to Earth’s, lasting about 355 days. Most other Earth-like exoplanets around Sun-like stars are much farther away and dimmer.
“This is the first planet candidate with Earth-like radius and orbital properties transiting a Sun-like star bright enough for substantial follow-up observations,” the researchers said.
Positioned near the outer edge of its star’s habitable zone, the planet would receive less than one-third of the heat and light Earth gets from the Sun. Its surface could be as cold as minus 68 degrees Celsius (minus 90 Fahrenheit)—roughly the same as Mars. Scientists say a dense, carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere could warm the planet, giving it a 40-51% chance of falling within the habitable zone.
HD 137010 b is still a candidate planet. Only one transit has been observed so far, and its year-long orbit makes repeated transits rare. Confirmation could come from NASA’s TESS satellite or Europe’s CHEOPS mission, though some data may need to wait for next-generation telescopes.
The researchers stated that HD 137010 b’s size, orbital traits, and bright host star make it a promising target for follow-up studies to learn more about Earth-like planets beyond our solar system.