Earth-Like Planet Discovered Orbiting Nearby Sun Twin

Josephine Wismar

January 30, 2026
9:48 am

Danish researchers at Brorfelde Observatory have helped discover a planet candidate roughly the size of Earth, orbiting a sun-like star with a similar orbital period to our planet. The discovery, made through analysis of archived NASA Kepler telescope data, represents one of the rare finds of an Earth-sized world in potentially habitable conditions, though further observations are needed for confirmation.

International Collaboration Uncovers Earth-Like World

Brorfelde Observatory has contributed to the discovery of a celestial body that may be a new planet. According to the observatory, this planet candidate is special because its size and orbital period closely resemble Earth’s characteristics.

The discovery was made by analyzing archived data from NASA’s Kepler space telescope. An international team of astronomers, working alongside citizen scientists through the Citizen Science project, identified the planet candidate from observations originally made in 2017.

Martti Holst Kristiansen, an astronomical nature guide at Brorfelde Observatory, explains that researchers are not yet far enough along to determine the celestial body’s precise size and orbital period. Nevertheless, this represents one of the few times a newly discovered planet has shared such specific characteristics with Earth.

Remarkably Similar to Our Home Planet

In astronomy, orbital period refers to the time it takes for a celestial body to complete one full orbit around another object. Earth’s orbital period around the Sun is 365 days. The newly discovered planet candidate appears to have a comparable orbital period of approximately 355 days.

What makes this discovery particularly intriguing is that the planet’s host star also resembles our own Sun. The celestial body orbits a sun-like star located about 146 light-years away, making it relatively close in astronomical terms.

Kristiansen notes that the planet candidate not only has roughly the same size and distance to its sun, but its star also bears strong similarities to the one we know. This combination of factors makes the discovery especially significant for future research.

The Search for Signs of Life

Because the planet candidate shares so many characteristics with Earth, one of Kristiansen’s upcoming tasks will be to investigate whether it could potentially harbor life. However, this process requires additional steps before any conclusions can be drawn.

First, researchers must confirm the orbital period with greater precision. Once established, they can direct other telescopes toward the planet candidate and potentially examine it for signs of life. The planet’s relatively bright host star makes it an ideal target for future observations with advanced telescopes.

Nine Years in the Making

Interestingly, Kristiansen and his colleagues first observed this celestial body through Brorfelde Observatory’s telescope back in 2017. At that time, Kristiansen was younger, and one of his colleagues was still in high school.

The discovery remained dormant for years while the team worked on other projects. Eventually, when they returned to review their archived observations, they decided the finding was too significant to let go to waste. This delayed timeline highlights how valuable astronomical data can remain relevant for years after initial collection.

The research was conducted as part of Planet Hunters, an international collaboration project where volunteers and professional astronomers work together to analyze vast amounts of research data. Kristiansen praises the project for making it possible to examine enormous datasets more thoroughly than would otherwise be feasible.

Citizen Scientists Play Key Role

The collaboration between citizen scientists and professional astronomers creates what Kristiansen calls a perfect synergy. Volunteers in the Planet Hunters project initially flagged a faint signal in the Kepler K2 mission data from 2017, which led to the subsequent analysis and discovery.

This approach demonstrates how public participation in scientific research can lead to significant astronomical discoveries. The method allows researchers to comb through data that might otherwise go unexamined due to the sheer volume of information collected by space telescopes.

Not Yet an Official Planet

For now, the discovery must be called a planet candidate rather than a confirmed planet because researchers don’t know enough about it yet. According to standard astronomical practice, a celestial body must be observed through a telescope three separate times before it can be officially classified as a planet.

Kristiansen believes this criterion will be met relatively soon. The planet candidate appears to be located at the outer edge of the habitable zone, the region in a solar system where astronomical conditions are suitable for human survival or the existence of liquid water.

Cold but Potentially Significant

Despite its promising characteristics, the planet candidate is not exactly hospitable by Earth standards. Researchers estimate the surface temperature could be as low as negative 70 degrees Celsius, making it colder than Mars.

The frigid conditions result from the planet’s distance from its host star, placing it at roughly 50 percent probability of lying within the habitable zone. Even so, the discovery remains valuable for understanding planetary systems and the diversity of worlds that exist beyond our solar system.

Compared with other recent discoveries, such as celestial bodies found closer to Earth or with warmer surface temperatures, this planet candidate stands out because of its observable characteristics. Its relatively nearby location and bright host star make it easier to study than more distant or fainter planetary systems.

International Recognition and Future Research

The discovery has generated significant international interest. Kristiansen has been scheduled to discuss the finding with multiple media outlets, including British broadcaster BBC, in the coming days. The research team, led by Alexander Venner from the University of Southern Queensland (now a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy), published their results on January 27, 2026, in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

The team presented their findings at the Rocky Worlds conference in Groningen, Holland. Similar to historical discoveries that shed light on Denmark’s past, this astronomical finding contributes to our broader understanding of the universe and our place within it.

Next Steps for Confirmation

Several advanced telescopes will be capable of conducting follow-up observations on the planet candidate. These include the Terra Hunting Experiment on the Isaac Newton Telescope, the European Space Agency’s PLATO mission (scheduled to launch in approximately one year), and NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory.

Because the host star ranks as a tenth-magnitude K-dwarf, it provides sufficient brightness for detailed study. This advantage distinguishes the discovery from other similar planet candidates that orbit fainter or more distant stars, making them harder to observe and confirm.

The ongoing analysis underscores the lasting value of data collected by the Kepler space telescope, which ended its mission in 2018. Even years after the telescope ceased operations, its archived observations continue to yield new discoveries and advance our understanding of exoplanets.

Kristiansen emphasizes that this represents progress in the search for Earth-like worlds. While the planet candidate may not be a perfect twin of our home planet, its similarities make it a valuable subject for future research into potentially habitable environments beyond our solar system.