Like all exoplanets discovered by the Kepler space telescope, Kepler 37-b was detected using a technique called the transit method. As faraway planets orbit their stars, they transit — or pass in front of — their stars, creating a slight dimming of the star. For stars and planets in the right position relative to our solar system, scientists can analyze the dimming and infer not only the existence of a planet but also some of its properties — what it's made of, its distance from its star, and its size.
With exoplanets, it's harder to say for sure, and it can be especially difficult to tell if an exoplanet is truly clearing debris and similarly sized objects from its orbit, Barclay said. But with Kepler 37-b, there isn't much doubt, he added.
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