Aust scientists discover habitable planet

It might sound like a fairy story but a planet called Wolf 1061c, sitting in a "Goldilocks zone", may prove to be a step towards life outside Earth.

Astronomers at the University of NSW have discovered the potentially habitable planet, orbiting a red dwarf star only 14 light-years away.

It's the closest planet so far that could provide a new home for humans or might even contain life of its own.

Lead study author Dr Duncan Wright says three planets orbit the red dwarf, called Wolf 1061, but only the middle one, Wolf 1061c, sits within the "Goldilocks zone" where liquid water might exist.

"While a few other planets have been found that orbit stars closer to us than Wolf 1061, those planets are not considered to be remotely habitable," Dr Wright said.

The discovery will be published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.