In the two and a half years since its launch, Kepler has spotted 2, 326 candidate planets.

ECONOMIST: Another Earth?

Using Harps data, the astronomers also counted a total of 45 candidate planets with a mass below 30 Earth masses.

BBC: Trio of 'super-Earths' discovered

According to Dr Lissauer, about 50 of the 1, 200 or so candidate planets (if planets they be) are orbiting in the habitable zones of their parental stars.

ECONOMIST: The search for other Earths is hotting up

Dr Burke announced 461 new candidate planets, a substantial fraction of which were Earth-sized or not much larger - planets that have until now been particularly difficult to detect.

BBC: Kepler telescope: Earth-sized planets 'number 17bn'

The star has also long been thought to be a good candidate to find potential young earthlike planets.

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