Space scientists have just discovered what could be the closest thing to planet Earth.The National Aeronautics Space Agency (NASA) announced Thursday that its astronomers, using a Kepler telescope, have spotted a planet that is about the size of Earth and is orbiting its own "sun".

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The NASA scientists described Kepler-186f, the newly discovered earth cousin, as likely having a rocky surface based on earlier analysis of planets with a similar size, but nothing much is known about the composition of its surface nor its atmospheric makeup.

Its own "sun" is a bit dimmer than our sun, but Kepler-186f lies at a distance that is considered habitable or capable of sustaining life, the scientists said.

A habitable zone in the galaxy is that area occupied by a planet close enough to its "sun" to get sufficient light to support vegetation, but far enough in order not to scorch living matter.  

It is in this habitable zone where bodies of water may potentially exist, the scientists explained, fueling hopes that Kepler-186f may be the next best thing to earth that they have discovered.

NASA's kepler telescopes have discovered several earth-cousins through years of exploring space but none as promising as the Kepler-186f.

Kepler-186f lies in the Cygnus constellation that is approximately 500 light years from planet Earth.

It orbits its "sun" every 130 days, while the Earth orbits its sun every 365-366 days.

Just as Earth has two neighbor planets, Mercury and Venus, orbiting closer to our sun, Kepler-186f has four fellow inner planets orbiting their "sun" at a much faster rate.

Their "sun" is classified by space scientists as an M dwarf star, which is among the most numerous stars in our galaxy.

Kepler-186f's "sun" is dimmer than our sun, with a noontime brightness that is only as strong as our sun's afternoon brightness just before it sets.

TagsNASA, Kepler-186f, earth-cousin