Astronomers discover Earth-like planet candidate HD 137010 b using Kepler data
Updated
Updated · Sky at Night Magazine · May 6
Astronomers discover Earth-like planet candidate HD 137010 b using Kepler data
6 articles · Updated · Sky at Night Magazine · May 6
Led by Alexander Venner at the Max Planck Institute, the team found the candidate around a bright star 146 light-years away from a single K2 transit.
Researchers estimate an orbit of about one year, placing it potentially in the habitable zone, but it remains unconfirmed because only one transit event has been observed.
Its host star is brighter than many similar targets, improving follow-up prospects, though definitive confirmation will require more precise future instruments beyond current capabilities.
A promising Earth-like world was spotted once. Why might it take until the 2040s to prove it's really there?
How did a volunteer citizen scientist find a potential Earth-like planet that automated computer programs overlooked?
Why do scientists believe an 'ice cold Earth,' potentially colder than Mars, could still be habitable?