Scientists Find ‘Goldilocks’ Planet

Scientists have discovered the first “Goldilocks” planet, one that’s not too far from or too close to its sun, but “just right” to sustain life—like Earth. Its perfect distance from a star means it could contain liquid water, as well as host the right atmosphere, gravity, and surface. The planet’s mass is three times Earth’s, and it orbits only 14 million miles from its sun, much closer than Earth’s 93 million miles. That means it circles its sun every 37 days, but it rotates slowly, so one side of the planet is always sunny, while the other side is dark. Temperatures range between 160 degrees and 25 degrees below zero, but in the middle, you could wear short sleeves. Scientists don’t know for sure if there’s water on the planet, but conditions are so ideal that one says “chances for life on this planet are 100 percent." The planet orbits a star called Gliese 581, 120 trillion miles away.