What is the name of the potentially habitable, Earth-sized planet discovered 146 light-years away in January 2026?

Astronomers announced the discovery of an intriguing exoplanet named HD 137010 b in January 2026. This celestial body has captured attention because it is an Earth-sized world located approximately 146 light-years from our solar system. Scientists have identified it as potentially habitable, marking it as a significant find in the ongoing search for life beyond Earth.

HD 137010 b orbits a star similar to our sun and is estimated to be only about 6% larger than Earth. Its orbital period is also strikingly similar to Earth's, completing a full revolution around its star in roughly 355 days. The planet was identified using data from NASA's Kepler space telescope (Deals)'s K2 mission, which observed a minute dimming of the star's light as the planet passed in front of it.

While HD 137010 b has a 50% chance of residing within its star's habitable zone—the region where temperatures could allow for liquid water on its surface—initial estimates suggest it might be quite cold, possibly even colder than Mars. However, researchers believe that a sufficiently thick atmosphere, rich in gases like carbon dioxide, could potentially trap enough heat to support liquid water, making it a "cold Earth" analog. This makes HD 137010 b a fascinating candidate for future observations with more advanced telescopes, as it offers a unique opportunity to study potentially habitable worlds around sun-like stars.