If we’re ever going to look for life outside our solar system, this is probably where we’ll start. “How much more inspiring can it get?” “It will focus people’s imagination”, McDowell added.
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Scientists have discovered an Earth-like planet, orbiting the closest star to our Sun, which has temperature suitable for liquid water to exist on its surface and may be the nearest possible abode for life beyond our solar system.
Dr Guillem Anglada-Escude, from Queen Mary Univerrsity of London, who led an global team of about 30 astronomers, said: “Succeeding in the search for the nearest terrestrial planet beyond the solar system has been an experience of a lifetime, and has drawn on the dedication and passion of a number of worldwide researchers”. This is a significant discovery as liquid water is believed to be essential in development of life. Using lasers to propel these small craft, theoretically they could cover the 4.24 light years in about 20 years. The team of astronomers was led by Guillem Anglada-Escudé, which first noticed the exoplanet by the slight wobble of Proxima Centauri. Tim de Zeeuw, ESO’s Director General said, “The discovery really demonstrates that wherever we look, whatever star nearly we look, there are planets”. Even so, Astronomers long wondered what was orbiting the star, and launched the Pale Red Dot campaign earlier this year to study Proxima Centauri’s unique stellar ballet. But a discovery announced today is even bigger: Astronomers have confirmed the existence of an exoplanet that’s close to the size of Earth orbiting Proxima Centauri, the closest star to us besides our Sun. According to their announcement on Thursday and reported in the journal Nature, the scientists are positive Proxima b, with a mass of 1.3 Earth masses, is similar to Earth in its shape and composition. Dr. Mikko Tuomi says “It is the closest possible planet to us and may be the closest to support life outside the solar system”.
Professor Abraham Loeb, from Harvard University, US, raised the possibility of humans one day colonising Proxima b.
But this one “basically puts a giant flashing neon sign on the nearest star saying: See this right here”, said study co-author R. Paul Butler of the Carnegie Institution for Science.
“As for similarities with Earth and, especially, on the suitability for life, they went too far, of course”. “It is significant because if we needed inspiration to try to reach the next star, now we have it”.
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“It’s sort of Earth-like in the geological sense, not necessarily in the want-to-visit sense”, said McDowell.
