Discovered: A 'super-Earth' that may harbor life

Astronomers have identified 50 new planets — and one is potentially hospitable to life as we know it

An artist's rendition of the new "super-Earth," planet HD85512b, which is about 36 light-years from Earth.
(Image credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser)

Astronomers have announced the discovery of 50 new planets orbiting stars like our sun, and one of these — named HD85512b — is generating excitement among scientists as a possible candidate for harboring life. This extraordinary haul of new planets, made by a team of astronomers using data gathered at the European Southern Observatory in Chile, increases the number of known "exoplanets" orbiting distant suns to 573. Here, a brief guide:

How did astronomers discover these planets?

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