These parameters don’t guarantee that the planet will support life, even if there aren’t any errors. Red dwaves tend to flare up and hurt the chances for life. Researchers also don’t know the atmospheric composition, which could rule out life even if every other condition is ideal. With that said, NASA is hoping to expand the criteria for habitable zones. Just don’t expect to visit any time soon when the star in question is 300 light-years away.

The findings might be useful even if the planet turns out to be hostile. It supports mounting evidence that planets like this are relatively common around red dwarfs. The discovery likewise provides more detail about the star system as a whole, such as its high stability (suggesting a long life) and the possibility of a third planet. Even if exploration of the planet remains a very distant prospect, it could be useful for years to come.