What does the term 'habitable zone' refer to?

The term 'habitable zone' refers to the region around a star where conditions may support life. This zone is typically defined by the distance from the star where temperatures allow for liquid water to exist on a planet's surface, a critical factor for life as we know it. In this region, the balance of sufficient warmth and the presence of water creates an environment that could foster biological processes.

Identifying the habitable zone involves considering a star's luminosity and temperature, which influence the range of distances at which a planet can maintain liquid water. While options may mention various aspects of space and celestial bodies, they do not encapsulate the specific criteria that define the habitable zone, which is fundamentally about the potential for sustaining life based on environmental conditions around a star.