New Planet Discovered 146 Light-Years Away Raises Habitability Hopes
Scientists have identified a new planet 146 light-years away, Earth-sized and possibly in the habitable zone, offering fresh clues in the search for life.
Astronomers have identified a new Earth-sized planet orbiting a nearby star, raising fresh interest in the search for potentially habitable worlds beyond the solar system, though its surface may be far colder than Earth’s.
The planet, known as HD 137010 b, lies about 146 light-years from Earth and is estimated to be around 6% larger than Earth. Scientists say it has roughly a 50% chance of orbiting within the habitable zone of its host star — the region where liquid water could exist under the right conditions.
The discovery was made by an international research team spanning Australia, the UK, the US and Denmark, using data collected in 2017 by NASA’s Kepler space telescope during its extended K2 mission. The findings were published this week in Astrophysical Journal Letters.
The new planet circles a sun-like star on an orbit lasting approximately 355 days, a period strikingly similar to Earth’s year. However, the star is cooler and dimmer than the Sun, suggesting the planet’s surface temperature may resemble that of Mars rather than Earth, potentially dropping below –70°C.
Despite the cold estimates, researchers say the planet’s size, orbital period and proximity make it one of the most promising nearby candidates for future study. Compared with other Earth-sized planets found in habitable zones around similar stars, HD 137010 b, the new planet is significantly closer and brighter, placing it within reach of upcoming generations of space telescopes.
The new planet was detected using the transit method, which measures tiny dips in starlight when a planet passes in front of its star. That faint signal was first noticed by citizen scientists participating in the Planet Hunters project. One of those contributors, who later led the research, first encountered the data while still in high school.
Researchers initially reacted with caution to the signal, rechecking the data multiple times before concluding it matched the textbook profile of a planetary transit.
While the discovery has generated excitement, scientists stress that HD 137010 b remains a candidate planet rather than a confirmed exoplanet. Only a single transit has been observed so far, and further detections are typically required to rule out alternative explanations.
Independent experts have also cautioned against assuming Earth-like conditions. The planet could instead be a “super snowball” world — a large, ice-covered body that may contain significant water locked beneath frozen layers.
Although the new planet is considered close by astronomical standards, reaching it with current technology would still take tens to hundreds of thousands of years.
Even so, astronomers say the planet’s discovery highlights both the enduring value of archived space data and the growing role of public participation in scientific breakthroughs. As new telescopes come online, HD 137010 b is expected to become a priority target in efforts to better understand nearby planetary systems.
