New potentially habitable exoplanet is similar in size and temperature to Earth

By Ashley Strickland, CNN

Updated 1836 GMT (0236 HKT) April 15, 2020

In this artist's illustration, two gaseous exoplanets can be seen orbiting the bright sun-like star HD 152843.
Photos: Weird and wonderful planets beyond our solar system
In this artist's illustration, two gaseous exoplanets can be seen orbiting the bright sun-like star HD 152843.
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An artist's rendering of TOI-1231 b, a Neptune-like planet about 90 light years away from Earth.
Photos: Weird and wonderful planets beyond our solar system
An artist's rendering of TOI-1231 b, a Neptune-like planet about 90 light years away from Earth.
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This artist's conception depicts a violent flare erupting on the star Proxima Centauri as seen from the viewpoint of a planet orbiting the star called Proxima Centauri b.
Photos: Weird and wonderful planets beyond our solar system
This artist's conception depicts a violent flare erupting on the star Proxima Centauri as seen from the viewpoint of a planet orbiting the star called Proxima Centauri b.
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This artist's illustration shows the night-side view of the exoplanet WASP-76b, where iron rains down from the sky.
Photos: Weird and wonderful planets beyond our solar system
This artist's illustration shows the night-side view of the exoplanet WASP-76b, where iron rains down from the sky.
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After losing its gaseous envelope, the Earth-size core of an exoplanet formed a second atmosphere. It's a toxic blend of hydrogen, methane, and hydrogen cyanide that is likely fueled by volcanic activity occurring beneath a thin crust, leading to its cracked appearance.
Photos: Weird and wonderful planets beyond our solar system
After losing its gaseous envelope, the Earth-size core of an exoplanet formed a second atmosphere. It's a toxic blend of hydrogen, methane, and hydrogen cyanide that is likely fueled by volcanic activity occurring beneath a thin crust, leading to its cracked appearance.
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This illustration shows the metaphorical measuring of the density of each of the seven planets in the nearby TRAPPIST-1 system. New measurements have revealed the most precise densities yet for these planets and they're very similar -- which means they also likely have similar compositions.
Photos: Weird and wonderful planets beyond our solar system
This illustration shows the metaphorical measuring of the density of each of the seven planets in the nearby TRAPPIST-1 system. New measurements have revealed the most precise densities yet for these planets and they're very similar -- which means they also likely have similar compositions.
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This artist's illustration shows the view from the furthest planet in the TOI-178 system.
Photos: Weird and wonderful planets beyond our solar system
This artist's illustration shows the view from the furthest planet in the TOI-178 system.
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This artist's illustration shows TOI-561b, one of the oldest and most metal-poor planetary systems discovered yet in the Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers found a super-Earth and two other planets orbiting the star.
Photos: Weird and wonderful planets beyond our solar system
This artist's illustration shows TOI-561b, one of the oldest and most metal-poor planetary systems discovered yet in the Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers found a super-Earth and two other planets orbiting the star.
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This massive and distant exoplanet, called HD106906 b, has an elongated and angled orbit that causes it to take 15,000 Earth years to complete one lap around its twin stars.
Photos: Weird and wonderful planets beyond our solar system
This massive and distant exoplanet, called HD106906 b, has an elongated and angled orbit that causes it to take 15,000 Earth years to complete one lap around its twin stars.
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This is an artist's impression of a free-floating rogue planet being detected in our Milky Way galaxy using a technique called microlensing. Microlensing occurs when an object in space can warp space-time.
Photos: Weird and wonderful planets beyond our solar system
This is an artist's impression of a free-floating rogue planet being detected in our Milky Way galaxy using a technique called microlensing. Microlensing occurs when an object in space can warp space-time.
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