Scientists’ hopes of finding alien life have been renewed after a newly discovered super-Earth was spotted revolving around a nearby red dwarf.

“,” Jason Dittmann, lead author on the study on the discovery, said in a release from the European Southern Observatory (ESO). “We could hardly hope for a better target to perform one of the biggest quests in science — searching for evidence of life beyond Earth.”

According to the study, and may have likely maintained its atmosphere despite emissions coming from its host star when it was still young.

Itis located in the habitable zone surrounding a star named LHS 1140 in the Cetus constellation, according to the release. Because LHS 1140 spins slower and releases less high-energy radiation than similar low-mass stars, it creates more favorable conditions for life.

The image above is an artist’s impression of the super-Earth exoplanet LHS 1140b.

(European Southern Observatory )

At a Glance

A newly discovered exoplanet may be the best candidate in the hunt for signs of alien life. Named LHS 1140b, it is estimated to be at least 5 billion years old and has a larger diameter and mass than Earth’s.

Astronomers estimate that it is at least 5 billion years old and has a diameter 1.4 times larger than Earth’s, the researchers wrote. Because of its mass, they believe it has a much higher density as well, which implies it is made of rock with a dense iron core.

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In addition to maintaining an atmosphere, a planet has to have liquid surface water in order for life to exist. The massive size of LHS 1140b means that a magma ocean could have been present on its surface for millions of years.It's possible theocean could emit steam into the atmosphere and provide water on the planet.

“,” exoplanet researcher Jason Dittmann told USA Today. This means that the planet has the potential to have liquid water on its surface.

, with much of it coming via warm infrared rays that could likely keep the planet’s surface from freezing, according to Smithsonian. Another point in its favor, the planet has an almost perfectly circular orbit that suggests it likely has not had many collisions with other planets and asteroids.

Researchers first discovered the exoplanet using the MEarth facility, which picked up telltale dips in light as LHS 1140b circled in front of its star, states the release.

Because of LHS 1140b’s proximity to Earth and the fact that researchers have more information on it than other planets, it’s a top candidate for observations to study and characterize its atmosphere.

“The LHS 1140 system might prove to be an even more important target for the future characterization of planets in the habitable zone than Proxima b or TRAPPIST-1,” researchers Xavier Delouse and Xavier Bonfils said in the release. “This has been a remarkable year for exoplanet discoveries!”

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