Scientists discover potentially habitable exoplanet with temperatures similar to Earth

UNDATED (WKRC) - Astronomers have been searching for a Earth-like exoplanet for decades now, and a very promising candidate has entered the running.

Gliese 12 b, named for its red dwarf host star, Gliese 12, is a Venus-sized exoplanet a mere 12 parsecs away from Earth (or 40 lightyears, or 2.301e+14 miles). The physical similarities are already exciting for researchers, but the estimated temperatures are even better.

Temperatures anywhere near Earth's are rare on exoplanets, yet Gliese 12 b has an estimated surface temperature of roughly 107 degrees Fahrenheit. This is admittedly higher than Earth's average temperature of 59 degrees Fahrenheit, but it still makes Gliese 12 b one of the closest temperature matches scientists have found.

In a paper published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, the researchers stated the next steps are to determine whether or not the exoplanet has an atmosphere and if it is able to host liquid water on the surface. If Gliese 12 b matches the criteria, it would be a great place to look for alien life. Although they used the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to find Gliese 12 b, many are hopeful that the launch of the James Webb telescope will lead to a plethora of other discoveries.

Gliese 12 does not exhibit the warning signs of most red dwarves, namely frequent and powerful X-ray flares, so the astronomers behind the exoplanet's discovery hope Gliese 12 b's atmosphere will still be in tact.

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