Scientists discover potential super-Earth orbiting Proxima Centauri

20 Jan 2020

Scientists discover potential super-Earth orbiting Proxima Centauri

Scientists discover potential super-Earth orbiting Proxima CentauriProxima Centauri is the star nearest to our Sun. Recently, scientists have discovered a second planet orbiting it, a super-Earth which they have named Proxima c.

Scientists had already discovered another planet, Proxima b in 2016, orbiting Proxima Centauri. This is a planet which could be habitable and is 4.5 light-years from us.
 	Now, after analysing light signals coming from Proxima Centauri over 1900 days, they strongly believe that a super-Earth is orbiting the star, making it the second planet to do so.

What do we know about Proxima b and Proxima c?

Proxima c has a mass larger than Earth's but smaller than Uranus and Neptune. It completes an orbit of Proxima Centauri every 5.2 Earth years.
 	On the other hand, Proxima b (or Proxima Centauri b) is six times smaller and much nearer to its star, making it much warmer.

Why is this new discovery important?

It does not subscribe to the commonly-held theory of how super-Earths are formed.
 	It also opens up future study to reveal how low-mass planets form around low-mass stars.
 	The new discovery shows how much more we still have to learn about our closest neighbours.

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Proxima Centauri is the star nearest to our Sun. Recently, scientists have discovered a second planet orbiting it, a super-Earth which they have named Proxima […]

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