Despite the fact that Proxima b orbits its star much closer than our planet does – closer even than the planet Mercury in our solar system – Proxima Centauri is much fainter and cooler than our parent star.
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Anglada-Escude and his team believe Proxima b lies well within the habitable zone around its star. While Proxima b orbits its star at a distance closer than that of Mercury, he noted that its host star is much fainter than our sun, and thus the potential habitability of the new world can not be dismissed.
Co-author Dr John Barnes, of the Open University, said: “If further research concludes that the conditions are suitable to support life, this is arguably one of the most important scientific discoveries we will ever make”. No Man’s Sky players have likely run across similar planets during their time exploring the game’s universe.
Prof Loeb raised the possibility of humans one day colonising Proxima b.
Because it’s an active star, Proxima Centauri can behave in varied ways that mimic the presence of a planet, according to the study.
“The recent Pale Red Dot campaign has been about two years in the planning”, he continued.
It all depends, they say, on how Proxima b evolved as a planet.
Astrophysicists also argue about whether it is possible for life to exist on planets so close to their suns, though it’s all conjecture as we obviously haven’t discovered life outside of our own home planet just yet.
The intensive observations confirmed that the star quivers slightly, the result of a slight perturbation induced by its small planet.
However, other factors like the same hemisphere always facing the star, which scorches one side of the planet while the other remains cool, might still render it unlivable, report notes. All that’s known about the planet is that it’s a bit more massive than Earth and circles its star once every 11 days.
“The only thing you can hope to find between that is Planet Nine, but that would a solar system object or a brown dwarf that hasn’t been discovered”, researcher Pedro Amado added. By using different computer models, astronomers think the planet could closely resemble Earth, but it also could be more like Venus or Mars.
An atmosphere would help deflect these rays, as would a strong magnetic field.
Liquid water may already exist on this planet.
Astronomers just discovered the closest possible Earth-like planet outside our solar system.
Admittedly, at 4.25 light years away we’re going to need a Millennium Falcon to get to it.
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Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, who isn’t part of the discovery team but is advisory board chairman for Breakthrough Starshot, said Proxima might someday prove vital to humanity’s future.
