Astronomers Discover New Exoplanet Orbiting Proxima Centauri

Breakthrough in the Search for Extraterrestrial Life

Proxima b: A Candidate for Habitable Conditions

In a groundbreaking discovery, astronomers have identified an exoplanet orbiting the star Proxima Centauri, our closest stellar neighbor. Designated Proxima b, the planet is located just 4.2 light-years away and is believed to be within the star's habitable zone, where liquid water could potentially exist on its surface.

The planet's discovery was made by a team of astronomers using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile. The team employed the radial velocity method, which measures the slight wobble in a star's motion caused by the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet. Proxima b's presence was inferred from a regular pattern in the star's velocity changes.

Proxima b is a small planet, with a mass estimated to be 1.27 times that of Earth. It orbits Proxima Centauri every 11.2 days at a distance of about 7 million kilometers (4.4 million miles).

The discovery of Proxima b has sparked excitement among astronomers and astrobiologists, as it represents one of the closest known exoplanets potentially capable of supporting life. However, further research is needed to determine the planet's atmospheric composition and the presence of water on its surface before its habitability can be fully assessed.

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