Astronomers have identified a nearby potential “super-Earth" that could support life. The newly found exoplanet, named GJ 251 c, located less than 20 light-years from Earth, is likely about four times heavier than Earth and rocky in nature.

The discovery, led by an international team that included scientists from Penn State University, offers fresh hope in the ongoing search for Earth-like planets that could potentially support life.

The discovery was announced in a paper published this week in The Astronomical Journal .

The planet orbits a small red dwarf star and resides in its habitable zone, often called the “Goldilocks Zone," where temperatures could allow liquid water to exist if there is an atmosphere.

Due to its mass and proximity to its host star, GJ 251 c falls into the cat

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