NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has revealed the first known system of seven Earth-size planets around a single star.

  • All 7 planets could have liquid water, NASA says
  • Finding considered 'remarkable step'
  • 3 of the planets located in the habitable zone

It was announced in a news release issued Wednesday.

Three of the planets are firmly located in the habitable zone, the area around the parent star where a rocky planet is most likely to have liquid water, NASA said.

The discovery sets a new record for greatest number of habitable-zone planets found around a single star outside our solar system.

All of the seven planets could have liquid water — key to life as we know it — under the right atmospheric conditions, but the chances are highest with the three in the habitable zone.

"This discovery could be a significant piece in the puzzle of finding habitable environments, places that are conducive to life," said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

"Answering the question 'are we alone?' is a top science priority, and finding so many planets like these for the first time in the habitable zone is a remarkable step forward toward that goal."

You can read the complete news release here. We've also embedded YouTube video below. If you don't see it, click here to watch.