Astronomers searching for Earthlike worlds need look no further than Alpha Centauri, the stellar system next door.
An Earth-sized planet has been discovered circling a star in the system, just 4.4 light-years away. The planet’s mass is similar to Earth’s, but its orbit is not. Tucked in close to its star — one-twenty-fifth the distance between Earth and the sun — the planet is likely a roasted world incapable of hosting life.
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