The first known planet beyond the solar system that could harbor life as we know it has been discovered, scientists report.

The planet is estimated to be only 50 percent larger than Earth, making it the smallest planet  found outside the solar system, according to a team led by Stephane Udry of the Geneva Observatory in Switzerland.Known as Gliese 581 c, it is located in the constellation Libra, some 20.5 light-years away.The scientists estimated the planet’s surface temperature at between 32 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit (0 and 40 degrees Celsius) hinting at possibility of water at planet.The new planet was detected using an instrument called a spectrograph at the European Southern Observatory at La Silla, Chile.

read more at National Geographic