Closest Star has Potentially Habitable Planet
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.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
