Proxima Centauri b
A probably rocky planet in the habitable zone of the nearest star to the Sun.
Proxima Centauri b (also Proxima b or Alpha Centauri Cb) orbits within the habitable zone of the red dwarf Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Sun at about 4.2 light-years. Together with Proxima d it is among the closest known exoplanets.
It circles its star at about 0.048 AU, completing an orbit in roughly 11.2 days, and is probably a terrestrial planet slightly larger than Earth. Whether it has an atmosphere is unknown, and the star's strong flares could strip one away. The European Southern Observatory announced the planet on 24 August 2016 after years of Doppler measurements.
Quick Facts
- Discoverer
- Anglada-Escudé et al.
- Discovery site
- European Southern Observatory
- Discovered
- 24 August 2016
- Discovery method
- Doppler spectroscopy
- Star
- Proxima Centauri
- Single temperature
- T
- eq
- : 234 K
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