Everything You Need To Know About Proxima b, The Closest Earth-Like Exoplanet To Earth
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Idiopathic Joker
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http://www.iflscience.com/space/everything-you-need-to-know-about-proxima-b-the-closest-earthlike-exoplanet-to-earth/
Yesterday, in arguably what is the most important exoplanet discovery ever made, scientists from the Pale Red Dot project announced they had found a potentially Earth-like world on the closest star to our Sun, Proxima Centauri – a stone's throw away in astronomical terms.
The discovery of the planet, named Proxima b, has understandably sent the scientific world into raptures, with many commenting on how this world is close enough to study in detail, and perhaps even visit.
But what do we know about this world so far, could there be life there, and can we actually visit it? Let’s take a look at some of the biggest questions about Proxima b.
Does it definitely exist?
No, but it’s very likely. The planet was found by measuring wobbles in its parent star caused by the planet’s orbit, known as Doppler spectroscopy. While the scientists behind the discovery are almost certain the planet exists, there’s a small chance it doesn’t. Consider Alpha Centauri Bb, a proposed exoplanet around the nearby Alpha Centauri B star. This was later thought to be a mistaken discovery. However, this time around, the scientists say they have been more thorough. So, Proxima b probably exists.
Is it habitable?
We don’t know for sure yet. All we know about the planet so far is that it has at least 1.3 times the mass of Earth (and at most about 3 times), it is probably rocky, and it orbits its star at a distance 5 percent that of the Earth-Sun distance. Around a star like our own, such a world would be uninhabitable.
But Proxima b’s parent star is a much smaller star, a red dwarf, which means it emits less light than our Sun, so a habitable planet can exist closer in. Indeed, Proxima b is thought to be in the habitable zone of its star, where liquid water could exist. Such a star is prone to bursts of X-rays, though, which may complicate matters.
Could life exist on the planet?
Well, that depends on a number of things. First, we need to know what sort of atmosphere it has, if it has one all. The planet takes about 11.2 Earth days to orbit its star, and at that distance, it is almost certainly tidally locked. This means one of its sides always faces its star, and is in perpetual heat, while the other side points away with endless cold nights. A thick atmosphere, though, could transfer heat around the planet.
We also don’t know the planet’s size, which would be a factor in things. Red dwarfs also emit less light than our Sun, so there’s less energy available for life. The crux of it is that if life does exist there, it is likely to be microbial in nature, rather than anything bigger like on Earth.
How can we learn more about the planet?
We’re going to need bigger and better telescopes. Upcoming projects like the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will potentially give us a better glimpse at the world, and possibly even allow us to directly image it.
Studying the planet in greater detail, though, such as measuring its atmosphere, will heavily rely on whether the planet transits its star from our point of view or not. We don’t yet know if the planet’s orbit takes it in front of its star relative to us. If it does, we can measure the star’s light coming through the atmosphere to work out the planet’s atmospheric composition, and even see tell-tale signs of life on the surface. If it doesn’t transit, things will get a lot more difficult.
Can we ever go there?
At 4.2 light-years away, Proxima b is the closest exoplanet ever discovered. This distance, though, is still 40 trillion kilometers (25 trillion miles) away. Our furthest spacecraft from Earth, Voyager 1, has traveled a measly 20 billion kilometers (12 billion miles) in about 40 years. So, by conventional means, it would be tough, taking hundreds of thousands of years to get there.
But there is another way. Earlier this year, Russian billionaire Yuri Milner announced a project – in partnership with names such as Stephen Hawking – to send tiny spacecraft to the Alpha Centauri system, which contains Proxima Centauri. Called Breakthrough Starshot, the project would propel thousands of probes with large sails using lasers fired from Earth, reaching 20 percent the speed of light to make the journey in 20 years.
A recent study has suggested the probes might not survive the journey. But, if they could, it would give us a way to study Proxima b up close in decades, rather than many millennia
Yesterday, in arguably what is the most important exoplanet discovery ever made, scientists from the Pale Red Dot project announced they had found a potentially Earth-like world on the closest star to our Sun, Proxima Centauri – a stone's throw away in astronomical terms.
The discovery of the planet, named Proxima b, has understandably sent the scientific world into raptures, with many commenting on how this world is close enough to study in detail, and perhaps even visit.
But what do we know about this world so far, could there be life there, and can we actually visit it? Let’s take a look at some of the biggest questions about Proxima b.
Does it definitely exist?
No, but it’s very likely. The planet was found by measuring wobbles in its parent star caused by the planet’s orbit, known as Doppler spectroscopy. While the scientists behind the discovery are almost certain the planet exists, there’s a small chance it doesn’t. Consider Alpha Centauri Bb, a proposed exoplanet around the nearby Alpha Centauri B star. This was later thought to be a mistaken discovery. However, this time around, the scientists say they have been more thorough. So, Proxima b probably exists.
Is it habitable?
We don’t know for sure yet. All we know about the planet so far is that it has at least 1.3 times the mass of Earth (and at most about 3 times), it is probably rocky, and it orbits its star at a distance 5 percent that of the Earth-Sun distance. Around a star like our own, such a world would be uninhabitable.
But Proxima b’s parent star is a much smaller star, a red dwarf, which means it emits less light than our Sun, so a habitable planet can exist closer in. Indeed, Proxima b is thought to be in the habitable zone of its star, where liquid water could exist. Such a star is prone to bursts of X-rays, though, which may complicate matters.
Could life exist on the planet?
Well, that depends on a number of things. First, we need to know what sort of atmosphere it has, if it has one all. The planet takes about 11.2 Earth days to orbit its star, and at that distance, it is almost certainly tidally locked. This means one of its sides always faces its star, and is in perpetual heat, while the other side points away with endless cold nights. A thick atmosphere, though, could transfer heat around the planet.
We also don’t know the planet’s size, which would be a factor in things. Red dwarfs also emit less light than our Sun, so there’s less energy available for life. The crux of it is that if life does exist there, it is likely to be microbial in nature, rather than anything bigger like on Earth.
How can we learn more about the planet?
We’re going to need bigger and better telescopes. Upcoming projects like the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will potentially give us a better glimpse at the world, and possibly even allow us to directly image it.
Studying the planet in greater detail, though, such as measuring its atmosphere, will heavily rely on whether the planet transits its star from our point of view or not. We don’t yet know if the planet’s orbit takes it in front of its star relative to us. If it does, we can measure the star’s light coming through the atmosphere to work out the planet’s atmospheric composition, and even see tell-tale signs of life on the surface. If it doesn’t transit, things will get a lot more difficult.
Can we ever go there?
At 4.2 light-years away, Proxima b is the closest exoplanet ever discovered. This distance, though, is still 40 trillion kilometers (25 trillion miles) away. Our furthest spacecraft from Earth, Voyager 1, has traveled a measly 20 billion kilometers (12 billion miles) in about 40 years. So, by conventional means, it would be tough, taking hundreds of thousands of years to get there.
But there is another way. Earlier this year, Russian billionaire Yuri Milner announced a project – in partnership with names such as Stephen Hawking – to send tiny spacecraft to the Alpha Centauri system, which contains Proxima Centauri. Called Breakthrough Starshot, the project would propel thousands of probes with large sails using lasers fired from Earth, reaching 20 percent the speed of light to make the journey in 20 years.
A recent study has suggested the probes might not survive the journey. But, if they could, it would give us a way to study Proxima b up close in decades, rather than many millennia
Comments
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I aways struggle to see the practicality in many of these space-related scientific discoveries.
Unless we plan on taking that planets resources to fix issues here on Earth, then why does this even matter?
This is all a waste of time and money, imo. -
I aways struggle to see the practicality in many of these space-related scientific discoveries.
Unless we plan on taking that planets resources to fix issues here on Earth, then why does this even matter?
This is all a waste of time and money, imo.
That is an incredibly bleak and frightening outlook on scientific exploration and discovery. -
I aways struggle to see the practicality in many of these space-related scientific discoveries.
Unless we plan on taking that planets resources to fix issues here on Earth, then why does this even matter?
This is all a waste of time and money, imo.
That is an incredibly bleak and frightening outlook on scientific exploration and discovery.
id rather them study the ocean..
the aliens are probably down there in that muthafucka while we so busy lookin up.. -
BOSSExcellence wrote: »I aways struggle to see the practicality in many of these space-related scientific discoveries.
Unless we plan on taking that planets resources to fix issues here on Earth, then why does this even matter?
This is all a waste of time and money, imo.
That is an incredibly bleak and frightening outlook on scientific exploration and discovery.
id rather them study the ocean..
the aliens are probably down there in that muthafucka while we so busy lookin up..
Ha. Hey boss that would make them a new species not an alien bro. -
BOSSExcellence wrote: »I aways struggle to see the practicality in many of these space-related scientific discoveries.
Unless we plan on taking that planets resources to fix issues here on Earth, then why does this even matter?
This is all a waste of time and money, imo.
That is an incredibly bleak and frightening outlook on scientific exploration and discovery.
id rather them study the ocean..
the aliens are probably down there in that muthafucka while we so busy lookin up..
This ain't Pacific Rim fam. -
not_osirus_jenkins wrote: »BOSSExcellence wrote: »I aways struggle to see the practicality in many of these space-related scientific discoveries.
Unless we plan on taking that planets resources to fix issues here on Earth, then why does this even matter?
This is all a waste of time and money, imo.
That is an incredibly bleak and frightening outlook on scientific exploration and discovery.
id rather them study the ocean..
the aliens are probably down there in that muthafucka while we so busy lookin up..
Ha. Hey boss that would make them a new species not an alien bro.
Unless they originated from out of space and set up shop in the ocean -
I aways struggle to see the practicality in many of these space-related scientific discoveries.
Unless we plan on taking that planets resources to fix issues here on Earth, then why does this even matter?
This is all a waste of time and money, imo.
That is an incredibly bleak and frightening outlook on scientific exploration and discovery.
And I feel that, but there just comes a point at which we have to ask what's actually important.
Scientists looking thru telescopes to find new ? to be concerned with when there're concerning circumstances at play right outside all of our windows. They can "discover" ? here. I mean, they're spending money on all this, bruh. They're using resources to ask questions and make discoveries that aren't very important/applicable here.
Let's be Real -- We're a highly self-destructive race looking up into space from a planet that we're destroying to "discover" some ? , but don't have the capacity to make moves on it if we really needed to.
We're worried about life on other planets all while we're destroying life here, even our own.
We're the reason certain species have gone extinct, but we tryna see what else is out there. Yeah, okay.
What's going on here is more important than what's going on out there.
So again, I'll ask the necessary question -- Why does this even matter? -
Very excitin'
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Ya'll gov't bout to get ready to stage a fake alien landing.....
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Too much hoopla over a planet with at best microbial life that may not even exist. On top of that its orbiting a tiny lol ? star that can't get its shine on but throws off X-rays
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I aways struggle to see the practicality in many of these space-related scientific discoveries.
Unless we plan on taking that planets resources to fix issues here on Earth, then why does this even matter?
This is all a waste of time and money, imo.
That is an incredibly bleak and frightening outlook on scientific exploration and discovery.
And I feel that, but there just comes a point at which we have to ask what's actually important.
Scientists looking thru telescopes to find new ? to be concerned with when there're concerning circumstances at play right outside all of our windows. They can "discover" ? here. I mean, they're spending money on all this, bruh. They're using resources to ask questions and make discoveries that aren't very important/applicable here.
Let's be Real -- We're a highly self-destructive race looking up into space from a planet that we're destroying to "discover" some ? , but don't have the capacity to make moves on it if we really needed to.
We're worried about life on other planets all while we're destroying life here, even our own.
We're the reason certain species have gone extinct, but we tryna see what else is out there. Yeah, okay.
What's going on here is more important than what's going on out there.
So again, I'll ask the necessary question -- Why does this even matter?
-
I aways struggle to see the practicality in many of these space-related scientific discoveries.
Unless we plan on taking that planets resources to fix issues here on Earth, then why does this even matter?
This is all a waste of time and money, imo.
That is an incredibly bleak and frightening outlook on scientific exploration and discovery.
And I feel that, but there just comes a point at which we have to ask what's actually important.
Scientists looking thru telescopes to find new ? to be concerned with when there're concerning circumstances at play right outside all of our windows. They can "discover" ? here. I mean, they're spending money on all this, bruh. They're using resources to ask questions and make discoveries that aren't very important/applicable here.
Let's be Real -- We're a highly self-destructive race looking up into space from a planet that we're destroying to "discover" some ? , but don't have the capacity to make moves on it if we really needed to.
We're worried about life on other planets all while we're destroying life here, even our own.
We're the reason certain species have gone extinct, but we tryna see what else is out there. Yeah, okay.
What's going on here is more important than what's going on out there.
So again, I'll ask the necessary question -- Why does this even matter?
What exactly is going on at NASA that isn't going on in any other scientific field of study? -
Joker_De_La_Muerta wrote: »What exactly is going on at NASA that isn't going on in any other scientific field of study?
So far in this thread, we've been talking about NASA.
So no, my not detailing issues that can (and should) be had with how irresponsible so many fields of study have been despite how destructive we've been as a species does not take away from my point. At all.
Looking out into space for an Earth-like planet that we don't have the means to relocate to all while we're destroying our own planet, is an obscene luxury that serves next to no real purpose when real issues come into play.
We don't have the resources ( time, money, manpower ) to focus on those things if we're going to be honest about what matters most today, right now, here on planet Earth. -
Joker_De_La_Muerta wrote: »What exactly is going on at NASA that isn't going on in any other scientific field of study?
So far in this thread, we've been talking about NASA.
So no, my not detailing issues that can (and should) be had with how irresponsible so many fields of study have been despite how destructive we've been as a species does not take away from my point. At all.
Looking out into space for an Earth-like planet that we don't have the means to relocate to all while we're destroying our own planet, is an obscene luxury that serves next to no real purpose when real issues come into play.
We don't have the resources ( time, money, manpower ) to focus on those things if we're going to be honest about what matters most today, right now, here on planet Earth.
Ok, that's your opinion and I respect it. My point was there's hundreds of thousands of people who enjoy this news because knowledge is never bad. It's always wonderful to gain as much knowledge as we can about the universe around us. But you made it sound like NASA is taking funds away from other much needed scientific endeavors when they are not. -
Joker_De_La_Muerta wrote: »Ok, that's your opinion and I respect it. My point was there's hundreds of thousands of people who enjoy this news because knowledge is never bad. It's always wonderful to gain as much knowledge as we can about the universe around us. But you made it sound like NASA is taking funds away from other much needed scientific endeavors when they are not.
It doesn't matter how much people enjoy this news/knowledge; It's a frivolous luxury. Discoveries such as this are purposeless right now because we can't act on them, and infinitely less important than what's happening here, that we can act on.
Funds being spent on discoveries such as this can indeed be better utilized; Because you know what people would enjoy more than knowing there's an Earth-like planet out there? Improved life on planet Earth.UnknownUser wrote: ».. I am sure we can thank some of our advances in technology to space exploration ..
Scientists probably came across these advances while thinking about how to travel and survive in space.
Then, the proprietary knowledge behind these techniques are eventually trickled down to the private sectors for-profit and mass consumption.
So, space research is not completely useless ..
While questions about space may have provided answers to questions here on Earth, let's not use that as a defense for why those questions were asked in the first place.
This particular discovery serves no real purpose other than as an answer to a question we don't actually have the luxury of asking right now, and a tidbit for people to enjoy while finding ways to cope with/hide from what's actually going on down here. We can't even go out there in a timely fashoin, so the fact that there's an Earth-like planet is moot.
But I'm being too harsh in this thread, obviously. -
Joker_De_La_Muerta wrote: »Ok, that's your opinion and I respect it. My point was there's hundreds of thousands of people who enjoy this news because knowledge is never bad. It's always wonderful to gain as much knowledge as we can about the universe around us. But you made it sound like NASA is taking funds away from other much needed scientific endeavors when they are not.
It doesn't matter how much people enjoy this news/knowledge; It's a frivolous luxury. Discoveries such as this are purposeless right now because we can't act on them, and infinitely less important than what's happening here, that we can act on.
Funds being spent on discoveries such as this can indeed be better utilized; Because you know what people would enjoy more than knowing there's an Earth-like planet out there? Improved life on planet Earth.UnknownUser wrote: ».. I am sure we can thank some of our advances in technology to space exploration ..
Scientists probably came across these advances while thinking about how to travel and survive in space.
Then, the proprietary knowledge behind these techniques are eventually trickled down to the private sectors for-profit and mass consumption.
So, space research is not completely useless ..
While questions about space may have provided answers to questions here on Earth, let's not use that as a defense for why those questions were asked in the first place.
This particular discovery serves no real purpose other than as an answer to a question we don't actually have the luxury of asking right now, and a tidbit for people to enjoy while finding ways to cope with/hide from what's actually going on down here. We can't even go out there in a timely fashoin, so the fact that there's an Earth-like planet is moot.
But I'm being too harsh in this thread, obviously.
So I ask again, what area of scientific fields of study are being under utilized because of NASA? -
Joker_De_La_Muerta wrote: »So I ask again, what area of scientific fields of study are being under utilized because of NASA?
That's not what you asked before. This is a diff question.
I'm talking about money, resources. The resources necessary to keep NASA going could be used to solve problems ( pick whatever field you like, honestly ) and spread solutions that're actually applicable here, on Earth. Those resources could be used to attack issues head on, instead of happenstancing on new applications, all the while doing something else entirely; Something as literally "out there" as concerning ourselves with what's going on in, given our current state, an untouchable abyss.
So again, what purpose does knowing that there's an Earth-like planet (that we can't even relocate to, or get to in a timely fashion) all while destroying our own planet and a lot of things on it it serve? -
not_osirus_jenkins wrote: »BOSSExcellence wrote: »I aways struggle to see the practicality in many of these space-related scientific discoveries.
Unless we plan on taking that planets resources to fix issues here on Earth, then why does this even matter?
This is all a waste of time and money, imo.
That is an incredibly bleak and frightening outlook on scientific exploration and discovery.
id rather them study the ocean..
the aliens are probably down there in that muthafucka while we so busy lookin up..
Ha. Hey boss that would make them a new species not an alien bro.
same ? . lol -
KingFreeman wrote: »BOSSExcellence wrote: »I aways struggle to see the practicality in many of these space-related scientific discoveries.
Unless we plan on taking that planets resources to fix issues here on Earth, then why does this even matter?
This is all a waste of time and money, imo.
That is an incredibly bleak and frightening outlook on scientific exploration and discovery.
id rather them study the ocean..
the aliens are probably down there in that muthafucka while we so busy lookin up..
This ain't Pacific Rim fam.
lol truth is stranger than fiction myG.. -
not_osirus_jenkins wrote: »BOSSExcellence wrote: »I aways struggle to see the practicality in many of these space-related scientific discoveries.
Unless we plan on taking that planets resources to fix issues here on Earth, then why does this even matter?
This is all a waste of time and money, imo.
That is an incredibly bleak and frightening outlook on scientific exploration and discovery.
id rather them study the ocean..
the aliens are probably down there in that muthafucka while we so busy lookin up..
Ha. Hey boss that would make them a new species not an alien bro.
Unless they originated from out of space and set up shop in the ocean
i actually think if there is superior life out there..
how we be making cameras and shaping it like piles of elephant ? to be able to watch them on discovery channel..
what if they hid in the clouds and monitored us for the viewing pleasure of their peeps back at home?? -
Every discovery aint always good
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Joker_De_La_Muerta wrote: »So I ask again, what area of scientific fields of study are being under utilized because of NASA?
That's not what you asked before. This is a diff question.
I'm talking about money, resources. The resources necessary to keep NASA going could be used to solve problems ( pick whatever field you like, honestly ) and spread solutions that're actually applicable here, on Earth.
So again, what purpose does knowing that there's an Earth-like planet (that we can't even relocate to, or get to in a timely fashion) all while destroying our own planet and a lot of things on it it serve?
There isn't any field in science or medicine that is suffering. Medicine and other fields are actually flourishing. AIDS will be eradicated in 10 years because of cures that's been discovered. They recently discovered a way for cancer cells to commit suicide. The innovation of smart cars will make the atmosphere healthy again, not to mention new gasoline improvements. That's just the tip of the iceberg.
And there is absolutely nothing wrong with knowledge about the universe, it actually shows how far we've come as a species that we can detect other planets in other solar systems. Maybe we can't there. Maybe our kids can't get there. Maybe our grandkids won't. But maybe their kids will. Maybe our great grandkids find a way there with new technology. Another home for humans and its all tied back to today, when the space exploration phase of humans is in is infancy. -
Guys guys,....
Y'all ever wonder like man, like we are all living on planet earth...... like we all represent as one for this planet called.... earth
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Every discovery aint always good
Yo,
In the back of my mind I'm hoping these white folks discover life on another planet........they end up being black............they take over Earth.............and then either wipe all of them out or enslave them.
It's like watching white people in horror movies.
They just don't know when to leave well enough alone. -
Studying the stars is an African thing and it's our legacy. So I don't understand why black folks think studying the stars is a fool's journey when Nasa developments created many technology that is used in medical science that have saved lives.
If you are tired of Nasa, then how about you get into the stem career fields yourself, a astro-physicist skill set will help future generations, not your ass today.
