NASA Ames astronomers discover Earth-like planet

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (KGO) -- Astronomers with NASA Ames in the Silicon Valley have just found the most Earth-like planet ever discovered orbiting a distant star.

This photo above is an artist's concept of Kepler-186f.

The planet is about 500 light years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus.

It's about the same size as Earth, and it's orbiting its sun in what's called the "habitable zone," a range where liquid water might support life.

A year on Kepler-186f is only 130 days and its sun is only about a third as bright as ours.