spacetoday.net: Scientists discover "potentially habitable" exoplanet

Posted: Thu, Sep 30, 2010, 6:49 AM ET (1049 GMT)
Gliese 581g illustration (Lynette Cook)

Astronomers announced Wednesday the discovery of what they termed the first planet orbiting another star where the conditions could be right to support life. Gliese 581g, orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 581 20 light-years away, has a mass three to four times that of Earth and orbits within the planet's habitable zone, with an average temperature of -10 to -30 Celsius. Since the planet is tidally locked to the star, actual temperatures would vary from very hot on the side facing the star to very cold on the opposite side, but with a habitable zone in between. All those factors make the planet potentially habitable, although scientists have no information on the presence of water and other resources needed for life. The planet is one of six now known to orbit the star.