List of potentially habitable exoplanets

This list shows planets outside our solar system that might be able to support life. These planets are called exoplanets. The information comes from the Habitable Worlds Catalog and data from the NASA Exoplanet Archive. The catalog is kept by the Planetary Habitability Laboratory at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo.

For a planet to possibly support life, it needs to be at a distance from its star where liquid water can exist on its surface. The planet also needs the right conditions, like having the right kind of air and protection from harmful energy from its star. These conditions include planetary habitability, geophysical and geodynamical aspects, atmospheric density, radiation levels, and the star's plasma environment. Scientists study these planets to learn more about where life might exist beyond Earth.

Main list

This is a list of special stars called exoplanets that might be able to support life. These stars are in the right place around their suns to have temperatures that allow for liquid water. They are either smaller than 10 times the size of Earth or have a radius less than 2.5 times that of Earth. Even though they are on this list, it doesn’t mean they can definitely support life. Some of the bigger ones might not be rocky like Earth. Earth is also listed here so we can compare, and Venus and Mars are included just for reference.

Current candidates

This is a list of special faraway planets that might be able to support life. These planets are in the right place around their stars to possibly have liquid water. They are smaller than Earth or not too much heavier. Earth is listed here for comparison, while Venus and Mars are included just for reference.

Previous candidates

Some planets were once thought to be good places for life. But after more study, they were found to be less suitable.

For example, Gliese 581 d and g, Gliese 667 Ce and f, Gliese 682 b and c, Kapteyn b, Gliese 229 Ac, HD 85512 b, and Gliese 832 c were once thought to be in zones where life might exist. But later studies suggested they might not be.

Other planets like Gliese 180 b, Tau Ceti e, HD 85512 b, and Kepler-69c were also thought to be possibly habitable. But better models show they are outside the zones where life could thrive.

Kepler-438b was once considered possibly habitable but was later found to face strong flares. This could remove its atmosphere, making it less likely to support life.

K2-3d and K2-18b were also thought to be good candidates for habitability. But recent studies show they are more like gaseous planets and not likely to support life.

Kepler-1638b was once thought to be a smaller planet that could support life. But newer measurements show it is more likely a large, icy planet with less chance for habitability.

KOI-1686.01 was once thought to be a habitable planet but was later found to be a false detection. Other planets like Kepler-577b and Kepler-1649b were also once considered habitable but are no longer thought to be so.

TRAPPIST-1 d was thought to be a place where life might exist. But recent data suggests it likely does not have an atmosphere like Earth's, making it less likely to support life.