An international team of scientists, including researchers from Australia, Britain, Denmark, and the United States, has announced the finding of a new exoplanet, designated HD 137010 b.The planet was identified using data collected by NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope in 2017.
HD 137010 b orbits a star comparable in size to our Sun and is approximately six percent larger than Earth. What sets this discovery apart is its relative proximity to our solar system – a mere 150 light-years away. To put that into outlook, one light-year equates to nearly 9.5 trillion kilometers,making this exoplanet significantly closer than many others previously detected.
Despite orbiting a sun-like star, HD 137010 b experiences considerably different conditions than Earth. Its host star is slightly cooler and dimmer than our Sun, resulting in a frigid climate on the planet. Scientists estimate temperatures could plummet to as low as -70 degrees Celsius, presenting meaningful challenges for the existence of life as we know it.
“What is especially remarkable about this Earth-sized planet is that it is only about 150 light-years away from our solar system,” stated Dr. Chelsea Huang, a researcher at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia. She further anticipates that HD 137010 b will become a prime target for future observations as observational technologies advance.”I’m sure it will be the first target of observation when the technology advances,” Dr. huang added.
The discovery of HD 137010 b is expected to generate considerable interest within the astrophysics community, offering a valuable opportunity to study a perhaps habitable, Earth-sized world relatively close to our own. Further research will be crucial to determine the planet’s atmospheric composition and assess its potential for harboring life.