Scientists have discovered 45 planets that might be able to support alien life. These planets are rocky like Earth and orbit their stars at just the right distance.
This special distance is called the habitable zone. In this zone, the temperature is perfect for liquid water to exist on a planet's surface. The planet cannot be too close to its star or too far away.
The researchers studied data from over 6,000 known planets. They used information from two major space databases to find which planets had the best conditions. They checked each planet's size, distance from its star, and temperature.
The team made a list ranking which planets would be best for powerful telescopes to observe. Some planets orbit near the edges of the habitable zone, which makes them especially interesting to study. A few planets even receive similar amounts of starlight as Earth does from our Sun.
This list will help scientists plan which planets to study first using telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope. By focusing on these top candidates, astronomers can search more effectively for signs of life beyond Earth.