A.J. Rushby et al/Astrobiology 2013; Penfold/Istockphoto, Banderlog/Istockphoto, Enjoynz/Istockphoto, Bikerboy82/istockphoto, S. Egts

To determine whether a planet could support life, astronomers first look at whether it falls within its star’s habitability zone, the Goldilocks distance that is not too hot or too cold. But that range can change as a star evolves.