Reports Of An Earth-like Planet Around Our Nearest Neighbor

[Nía]

Reports Of An Earth-like Planet Around Our Nearest Neighbor


It's the closest neighbor to the Sun, and if reports are true, there is an Earthlike planet hidden in that glare. ESA/Hubble & NASA

Unconfirmed rumors have appeared of a Earth-sized planet orbiting Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to the Sun, within the habitable zone. The story first appeared in the German weekly Der Spiegel, but so far the source remains anonymous.

Der Spiegel credits the discovery to the European Southern Observatory (ESO), and claims the official announcement will come “at the end of August”. However, when contacted by AFP, ESO spokesman Richard Hook said: “We are not making any comment.”

Continue reading at IFLScience.com.

[native]

Word!

[Nía]

Explanation: The star closest to the Sun has a planet similar to the Earth. As announced yesterday, recent observations confirmed that this planet not only exists but inhabits a zone where its surface temperature could allow liquid water, a key ingredient for life on Earth. It is not yet known if this planet, Proxima b, has any life. Even if not, its potential ability to sustain liquid water might make it a good first hop for humanity's future trips out into the Milky Way Galaxy. Although the planet's parent star, Proxima Centauri, is cooler and redder than our Sun, one of the other two stars in the Alpha Centauri star system is very similar to our Sun. The featured image shows the sky location of Proxima Centauri in southern skies behind the telescope that made many of the discovery observations: ESO's 3.6-meter telescope in La Silla, Chile. The discovered planet orbits close in -- so close one year there takes only 11 days on Earth. The planet was discovered by the ESO's Pale Red Dot collaboration. Although seemingly unlikely, if Proxima b does have intelligent life, at 4.25 light years distance it is close enough to Earth for two-way communication.  

Source: APOD, 2016 August 25

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[Ashim]

This from the Guardian yesterday:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016...-proxima-b

[GreatSpirit]

Definitely wouldn't doubt planets around Prox or Alpha Centauri A/B. Whether 3D physical life exists in our present time is questionable.

Amazing scientists say red dwarfs live for trillions of years.

[ada]

amazing scientists, please tell me why sirius is blocked from google sky

[Patrick]

amazing scientists, please tell me why sirius is blocked from google sky

Oh! That's interesting.  Is this the star that I see flashing in all colors?
 

[Nía]

Planet Proxima B May be Habitable

The planet orbiting the nearest star to Earth may be habitable, according to NASA.

The rocky Proxima b, which orbits Proxima Centauri, appears to be in the so-called Goldilocks zone, meaning the planet could have liquid water on its surface.

A team of researchers from the Marseille Astrophysics Laboratory goes even further, saying the planet could be an “ocean planet with an ocean covering its entire surface.” The dimensions and properties of the planet “favor its habitability.”

My friends, we assure you that each planet has some form of intelligent life, for all is made of the One Creator of intelligent energy.

[native]

Oh! That's interesting.  Is this the star that I see flashing in all colors?

That's a satellite you see..they move as well!