A super-Earth exoplanet in the habitable zone of its star has been detected less than 20 light-years away, putting it near the top of the list for best places to look for life beyond our solar system.
The planet, known as GJ 251c, orbits a red dwarf star 18.2 light-years away in the constellation of Gemini, the Twins. The planet's mass is four times greater than that of Earth, making it a 'super-Earth' — a rocky planet larger and more massive than our own.
