Scientists using the Hubble Space Telescope have measured the size of an exoplanet just 22 light years away, confirming it as the closest known Earth-sized world to our solar system.
The exoplanet, named LTT 1445Ac, has a diameter 1.07 times that of Earth's and a mass of around 1.37 Earths. However, its surface temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit makes it uninhabitable for potential life.
To observe exoplanets, astronomers rely on a transit event where the planet passes between a telescope and a star, causing a dip in the star's light. The researchers initially used the TESS satellite to observe LTT 1445Ac, but the Hubble Space Telescope provided conclusive data.