Astronomers Identify Earth-Sized Exoplanet Candidate HD 137010 b
Scientists have discovered HD 137010 b, an Earth-sized exoplanet candidate orbiting a nearby star, with conditions that may be colder than Mars.
Astronomers have identified a potential Earth-sized exoplanet, HD 137010 b, orbiting a K-type dwarf star approximately 146 light-years away in the constellation Libra. Detected through a single 10-hour transit observed during NASA's Kepler Space Telescope's K2 mission in 2017, the planet candidate has an estimated radius 6% larger than Earth's and an orbital period of about 355 days, placing it near the outer edge of its star's habitable zone.
Due to the host star's lower luminosity, HD 137010 b receives only about 29% of the sunlight Earth does, resulting in an estimated equilibrium temperature around -68°C (-90°F), potentially colder than Mars. However, a thicker carbon dioxide atmosphere could trap heat, allowing for the possibility of liquid water on the surface.
The discovery was made by an international team led by Alexander Venner of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, who re-examined archival data from the Kepler mission. The findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on January 27, 2026.
Further observations are needed to confirm the planet's existence and to assess its atmospheric composition. Upcoming missions like NASA's TESS and ESA's PLATO, scheduled for launch in December 2026, may provide additional data to verify HD 137010 b's status and potential habitability.