Washington (AP) For the first time, astronomers say they've found a planet outside our solar system that could potentially sustain life.
Researchers are calling the discovery a big step in the search for ``life in the universe.''
The new discovery has earth-like temperatures, and might have water. In galactic terms, it's relatively close, a mere 120 trillion miles away. The star it orbits, known as a ``red dwarf,'' is much smaller and dimmer than our sun.
There's still a lot that is unknown about the new planet. An astronomer on the European team that found the planet calls it a a`nice discovery,'' but adds, ``we still have a lot of questions.''
The research has not yet been published, but has been submitted to the journal astronomy and astrophysics.
