Astronomers have found a planet just 20 light years away that orbits a star and has about the right conditions to sustain life. The new planet is called Gliese 581-g and revolves around the star Gliese 581, a red dwarf. It's at the right distance to have liquid water, a sufficient amount of mass to hold an atmosphere, and be able to protect liquid water on the surface. It's inner layers are rocky, like terrestrial planets. Also, the solar system revolving around Gliese 581 is like our own solar system but smaller. It has six planets orbiting a star including a planet sitting on the outside like our planet Jupiter. Scientists are now trying to analyze the planet's atmosphere to see if they contain another key element for life, oxygen.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130215192
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