New planet is like earth

The discovery of a fifth planet circling a star beyond our solarsystem marks "an exciting next step in the search for worlds likeour own", say astronomers.The new planet is located in a so-called "habitable zone," a band around the star, 55 Cancri, wherethe temperature would permit liquid water to pool on solid surfaces,Nasa said.

Michael Briley, an astronomer at the National Science Foundationin Virginia, said: "This work marks an exciting next step in thesearch for worlds like our own."

Alan Stern, associate administrator for the Science Missiondirectorate at Nasa headquarters in Washington, said: "We arefinding solar systems with a richness of planets and a variety ofplanetary types comparable to our own."