Gilese 581 g is 20 light years from Earth -- a near neighbor by galactic distance . Soon - to - be - published research suggests body is in ` ` habitable '' zone of its solar system . Scientists estimate Gilese 581 g has a mass three to four times that of Earth . A habitable planet has to be a rocky planet large enough to hold an atmosphere .
Gilese 581g is 20 light years from Earth -- a near neighbor by galactic standards . Soon-to-be-published research says body is in `` habitable '' zone of its solar system . Scientists believe Gilese 581g has a mass three to four times that of Earth . A habitable planet has to be a rocky planet large enough to hold an atmosphere .