A Potentially Habitable Planet Discovered 146 Light-Years Away - But Temperatures Could Be Brutal
Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery, identifying a potentially habitable planet about 146 light-years away from Earth. The exoplanet, named HD 137010 b, orbits a sun-like star and is estimated to be 6% larger than our own planet.
The planet's orbit, similar to that of Earth's, takes approximately 355 days to complete. What's exciting about this particular Earth-sized planet is that its star is relatively close to us, just 150 light-years away from the solar system. This proximity makes it more accessible for future observation with next-generation telescopes.
However, despite the promising location, scientists have found a concerning issue - the surface temperature of HD 137010 b could be as low as -70C (-94F), making it less hospitable to life as we know it. The star's cooler and dimmer nature contributes to this extreme temperature, similar to that of Mars.
The discovery was made using data captured in 2017 by the NASA Kepler space telescope's extended mission, known as K2. An international team of scientists from Australia, the UK, the US, and Denmark collaborated on the research.
Dr. Chelsea Huang, a researcher at the University of Southern Queensland, stated that the planet has about a 50% chance of residing in the habitable zone of its star. This makes it an intriguing target for future studies, as it could provide valuable insights into the possibility of life beyond our solar system.
While the discovery is "very exciting," Dr. Sara Webb, an astrophysicist at Swinburne University, noted that more results are needed to classify HD 137010 b as a confirmed exoplanet. Typically, three transit detections are considered the gold standard in planetary science.
The possibility of life on this distant planet remains tantalizing. However, Dr. Webb cautioned that traveling to the planet could take tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years at current speeds.
As scientists continue to study HD 137010 b, we may uncover more about its potential for hosting life and what it can teach us about our own planet's place in the universe. For now, this discovery serves as a reminder that there are still many mysteries waiting to be unraveled in the vast expanse of space.
Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery, identifying a potentially habitable planet about 146 light-years away from Earth. The exoplanet, named HD 137010 b, orbits a sun-like star and is estimated to be 6% larger than our own planet.
The planet's orbit, similar to that of Earth's, takes approximately 355 days to complete. What's exciting about this particular Earth-sized planet is that its star is relatively close to us, just 150 light-years away from the solar system. This proximity makes it more accessible for future observation with next-generation telescopes.
However, despite the promising location, scientists have found a concerning issue - the surface temperature of HD 137010 b could be as low as -70C (-94F), making it less hospitable to life as we know it. The star's cooler and dimmer nature contributes to this extreme temperature, similar to that of Mars.
The discovery was made using data captured in 2017 by the NASA Kepler space telescope's extended mission, known as K2. An international team of scientists from Australia, the UK, the US, and Denmark collaborated on the research.
Dr. Chelsea Huang, a researcher at the University of Southern Queensland, stated that the planet has about a 50% chance of residing in the habitable zone of its star. This makes it an intriguing target for future studies, as it could provide valuable insights into the possibility of life beyond our solar system.
While the discovery is "very exciting," Dr. Sara Webb, an astrophysicist at Swinburne University, noted that more results are needed to classify HD 137010 b as a confirmed exoplanet. Typically, three transit detections are considered the gold standard in planetary science.
The possibility of life on this distant planet remains tantalizing. However, Dr. Webb cautioned that traveling to the planet could take tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years at current speeds.
As scientists continue to study HD 137010 b, we may uncover more about its potential for hosting life and what it can teach us about our own planet's place in the universe. For now, this discovery serves as a reminder that there are still many mysteries waiting to be unraveled in the vast expanse of space.
but like, what's the point if it's gonna be -70C 
? i mean, don't get me wrong, discovering a potentially habitable planet is super cool and all 
, but can we pls just talk about something else when it comes to temperatures, you know? 
like, i'm all for space exploration and stuff, but let's not forget that we have some pretty comfy planets here on earth already 
. and if the technology isn't there yet to even consider visiting this planet, then what's the point of getting all excited about it? 
still, can't wait to see more info about this planet and maybe one day we'll figure out a way to make it livable 
.
they're gonna make space exploration so much more accessible 
! I mean, -70C is like, crazy chilly! 
But at the same time, it's super cool (get it? cool?) that scientists found a potentially habitable planet 146 light-years away. That's, like, whoa! 
.
But what I'd really love to know is if there's a way for us to send humans (or robots?) to this planet without, you know, freezing them solid 
... I was way too late to jump into this thread but I just had to chime in! I think it's crazy cool that we've got another potentially habitable planet on our radar. The idea that we might be able to learn more about life on other planets is, like, the ultimate question right? 
I'm so stoked about this new planet discovery! 146 light-years away from us is crazy, right? 
. I can imagine the NASA Kepler space telescope's data being super helpful in understanding this planet's orbit and star proximity.
. This discovery sparks so many questions, like: what does HD 137010 b's atmosphere look like? Could it have liquid water? These are the things that'll get me super excited about space exploration 
. Who knows, maybe one day we'll have a human settlement on another planet! The thought of it is just mind-blowing 
that get all the hype without even considering the actual pros and cons. Like, yeah, it's cool that we found a potentially habitable planet, but -70C is still kinda harsh for life as we know it 
. Can't these scientists just give us the full picture instead of all this cautious optimism? 
anywayz scientists are stoked because they think it might just make it into the habitable zone & who knows maybe we'll find alien life someday! 