An international group of astronomers announced the discovery of a new exoplanet named HD 137010 b. It is located approximately 146 light-years from Earth, is quite close to Earth in size, and has a similar orbital period around its star. This was reported by the Guardian.
It is noted that the planet was identified based on data collected by NASA's Kepler space telescope (K2 mission) in 2017. According to analyses, HD 137010 b is only 6 percent larger than Earth, and its "year" lasts 355 days. According to researchers' estimates, the probability of this planet being located in a "habitable zone" is 50 percent - meaning theoretically, water can exist in liquid form in this area.
However, despite the similarity of orbits and periods, conditions there are likely not as favorable as on Earth. The main star in the system is considered similar to the Sun, but it is noted to be colder and dimmer. For this reason, the temperature on the planet's surface is close to that of Mars and can drop below -70 degrees.
According to Sarah Webb, a doctor at the University of Technology in Swinburne, there is a high probability that there will be a lot of water on the planet, but most of it may have frozen in the form of ice. Dr. Chelsea Huang of the University of South Queensland emphasizes that the main significance of the discovery lies precisely in the star's proximity and brightness: it is located approximately 150 light-years from Earth.
For comparison, the closest known previously known exoplanet Kepler-186f is said to be four times farther away and almost 20 times dimmer. Therefore, scientists believe that HD 137010 b can be studied even more deeply in the future: due to the star's proximity and brightness, next-generation telescopes are expected to provide important information about conditions in its atmosphere and surface.
Read “Zamin” on Telegram!
