Astronomers Identify Earth-Sized Exoplanet Candidate in Habitable Zone
Researchers have detected a potential Earth-sized exoplanet, HD 137010 b, orbiting a Sun-like star 146 light-years away, with conditions that may support liquid water.
Astronomers have identified a potential Earth-sized exoplanet, designated HD 137010 b, orbiting the K3.5V dwarf star HD 137010, approximately 146 light-years away in the constellation Libra. The discovery was made by detecting a single, shallow transit in archival data from NASA's Kepler K2 mission.
HD 137010 b is estimated to be about 6% larger than Earth and orbits its host star every 355 days, placing it near the outer edge of the star's habitable zone. This position suggests that, under certain atmospheric conditions, the planet could support liquid water. Dr. Alexander Venner, lead author of the study, noted that while the planet's surface temperature is likely colder than Antarctica, a thicker atmosphere could warm the planet enough to allow liquid water, which might be a good environment for life.
The host star, HD 137010, is an older, relatively quiet star with low magnetic activity, making it a favorable candidate for hosting potentially habitable planets. The star's brightness and proximity make HD 137010 b a prime target for future observations aimed at characterizing Earth-like exoplanets.
The discovery is reported in a paper in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.