Astronomers at Harvard University recently announced the discovery of an "Earth-type" (rocky with a gaseous atmosphere) planet orbiting a red dwarf star approximately 9,000 light years away. This terrestrial planet is several times the diameter of our own, and is estimated to have 13 times Earth's mass. Its orbit carries it 250 million miles from its parent star. Although it is similar in physical structure to Earth and Mars, its distant orbit around a relatively cool star makes the existence of liquid water impossible. The surface temperature has been determined to be minus 200 degrees Celsius, so life as we know it is unlikely.

According to the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, the size of this planet and its position in its solar system indicates that it might have ultimately become a gas giant like Jupiter, had their been enough material available. Harvard Astronomer Scott Gaudi sums it up: "This is a solar system that ran out of gas."

Gaudi speculates that these type of overgrown "Super Earths" may actually be quite common around red dwarf stars, which make up the majority of the stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Different types of stars produce different types of planets. Gaudi goes on to explain: "Our discovery suggests that different types of solar systems form around different types of stars. Sun-like stars form Jupiters, while red dwarf stars only form super-Earths."

Gaudi speculates that larger stars may even throw off enough material to form brown dwarf companion stars.