Bruce Murray Space Image Library

Kepler-22b: Closer to Finding an Earth

Kepler-22b: Closer to Finding an Earth
Kepler-22b: Closer to Finding an Earth This artist's conception illustrates Kepler-22b, a planet known to comfortably circle in the habitable zone of a sun-like star. It is the first planet that NASA's Kepler mission has confirmed to orbit in a star's habitable zone—the region around a star where liquid water, a requirement for life on Earth, could persist. Scientists do not yet know if the planet has a predominantly rocky, gaseous or liquid composition. It's possible that the world would have clouds in its atmosphere, as depicted here in the artist's interpretation. NASA / Ames / JPL-Caltech