As CNET explains, this planet is just the right distance away from its sun to make liquid water possible, and it's only 60 percent bigger than Earth, so there's a chance it's rocky enough to live on.

Even its revolution around its star, which is in the constellation Cygnus, is about as long as Earth’s — a year on Kepler-452b is only 20 days longer than ours.

“In my mind this is indeed the closest thing we have to another planet like the Earth...to another place that someone else might call home,” said Jon Jenkins, NASA data analyst.

The downsides: The gravity is twice as powerful as Earth’s. And it’s 1,400 light years from here.

Check out NASA's announcement and CNET's handy explainer.

About the Author

Featured

Prosecutor Skandalakis has previously suggested that pursuing criminal charges against President Donald Trump may not be feasible until after he leaves office in 2029. (Craig Hudson/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images