Australian astronomers have announced the discovery of a new exoplanet which may be the closest habitable world yet to be found.
A mere 14 light years away and orbiting a red dwarf star dubbed 'Wolf 1061,' the planet resides within what astronomers call the 'Goldilocks zone,' where conditions are ideal for water and life to exist.
The find is particularly exciting because Wolf 1061 is a calm star that does not emit X-ray bursts or flares that would ostensibly vanquish life on the planet.
The potential future vacation destination for space farers is over four times the mass of Earth but takes only 18 days to revolve around its sun.
Now that astronomers have set their sights on the planet, they hope to learn more about its atmosphere if they can spot the object passing in front of Wolf 1061.
Should the planet prove to be conducive to life, it may ultimately become the first outpost for humanity's expansion across the cosmos.
Source: PhysOrg