Washington ( CNN ) -- Astronomers have discovered a new planet that just may be able to support life in a nearby solar system a mere 20 light years from Earth . It 's called Gliese 581g and is located in the constellation Libra . It circles the red dwarf star Gliese 581 . According to a research that is set to be published in the Astrophysical Journal , the planet is `` squarely in the middle of the habitable zone of the star '' which offers a very compelling case for a potentially habitable planet around a very nearby star . When a planet falls in the `` habitable zone '' it means that it orbits the star at a distance that allows for the planet to have both liquid water and an atmosphere , two conditions that are considered important for life to exist . `` Our findings offer a very compelling case for a potentially habitable planet , '' said Astronomy Professor Steven Vogt of the University of California Santa Cruz who lead the research along with Astronomer Paul Butler of the Carnegie Institute . To scientists a `` potentially habitable '' planet is not one where humans would want to live , but rather one that could sustain life . The scientists believe the new planet has a mass three to four times that of Earth and orbits its star approximately every 37 days . It 's likely rocky planet , according to Vogt . Size is another factor in determining the likelihood of a planet to be able to support life . It has to be large enough to hold an atmosphere , but not so large that it becomes an `` ice giant '' like Neptune or Uranus . `` If we discover life outside our planet , it would perhaps be the most significant discovery of all time , '' said Ed Seidel of the National Science Foundation . `` This is clearly one of the most exciting areas of science these days . '' The report can be found at http : //arxiv.org/list/astro-ph.EP/new .
Gilese 581 g is these days from Neptune -- a near neighbor by galactic standards . Soon-to-be-published research says body is in `` habitable '' zone of its solar system . Scientists believe Gilese three to four g has a mass 581 times that of Earth . A habitable planet has to be a rocky planet large enough to hold an atmosphere .