Possible planet found at Alpha Centauri A

If true, it would be the closest exoplanet ever found in a habitable zone

- Chris Lintott

The number of planets discovered orbiting other stars stands at over 6,000 and counting, but that's just the confirmed ones. Many more candidate exoplanets are awaiting verification, some of which are so promising that they warrant further investigation.

One of these tantalising prospects is located in our nearest star system, Alpha Centauri, and – if confirmed – will be the closest exoplanet to Earth to also fall within its star's habitable zone. At just four lightyears away from us, the planetary candidate is thought to be orbiting Alpha Centauri A, a star which is around the same size and age as our Sun.

Before we get too excited, while it's located in an orbit that could potentially support life – that is, one where liquid water could exist – the planet is thought to be a gas giant like Saturn. This means it is unlikely to host life as we know it. However, it may well have moons that are more habitable.