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Andrew Fraknoi

Amaury Triaud

Hiroyuki Tako Ishikawa

Keming Zhang

Dirk Schulze-Makuch

Arwen E Nicholson

"There is no planet B [habitable to human beings]."

"I would never say we can never reach the stars and possible habitable planets."

"The discovery of Gliese 12 b is a stepping stone towards finding potentially habitable planets."

The discovery of several smaller and cooler stars is "the best bet for finding habitable planets."

"[W]e're more likely to detect planets in the habitable zone with TESS [NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite]."

Will We Find Another Inhabitable Planet?

Astronomers have discovered a potentially habitable planet candidate named HD 137010 b, located approximately 146 to 150 light-years from Earth. The planet is estimated to be about 6% larger than Earth and completes an orbit around its sun-like star in roughly 355 days.

Astronomers have discovered a potentially habitable planet candidate named HD 137010 b, located approximately 146 to 150 light-years from Earth. The planet is estimated to be about 6% larger than Earth and completes an orbit around its sun-like star in roughly 355 days.

An international research team led by Dr. Alexander Venner of the University of Southern Queensland identified HD 137010 b using data from NASA's Kepler space telescope's extended K2 mission, captured in 2017. The faint signal was initially flagged by participants in a citizen science project.

An international research team led by Dr. Alexander Venner of the University of Southern Queensland identified HD 137010 b using data from NASA's Kepler space telescope's extended K2 mission, captured in 2017. The faint signal was initially flagged by participants in a citizen science project.

Researchers estimate that HD 137010 b has approximately a 40% to 51% chance of residing within the habitable zone of its host star, where liquid water could potentially exist. The planet's surface temperature is estimated to be below -70 degrees Celsius, similar to Mars.

Researchers estimate that HD 137010 b has approximately a 40% to 51% chance of residing within the habitable zone of its host star, where liquid water could potentially exist. The planet's surface temperature is estimated to be below -70 degrees Celsius, similar to Mars.

The star that HD 137010 b orbits is cooler and dimmer than our sun, meaning the planet receives about 70% less light than Earth. Despite the likely frigid conditions, its relative proximity makes it a prime target for next-generation observatories.

The star that HD 137010 b orbits is cooler and dimmer than our sun, meaning the planet receives about 70% less light than Earth. Despite the likely frigid conditions, its relative proximity makes it a prime target for next-generation observatories.

HD 137010 b is referred to as a planet candidate because it requires at least one more observation to be confirmed as a planet. The discovery is based on a single transit detection, while the gold standard in planetary science typically requires three detections.

HD 137010 b is referred to as a planet candidate because it requires at least one more observation to be confirmed as a planet. The discovery is based on a single transit detection, while the gold standard in planetary science typically requires three detections.

If confirmed, HD 137010 b would be the only known rocky world in the habitable zone of a sun-like star. Future missions such as NASA's planned Habitable Worlds Observatory may be capable of directly imaging this distant world.

If confirmed, HD 137010 b would be the only known rocky world in the habitable zone of a sun-like star. Future missions such as NASA's planned Habitable Worlds Observatory may be capable of directly imaging this distant world.

Earth-Like Planet Found 150 Light-Years Away May Be Habitable

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