Don't Freak Out, But There Might Be A Second Earth Orbitting Near Our Sun

Scientists from around the world have discovered an Earth-like planet orbiting the star closest to [...]

By Hunter Miller

proximab2
(Photo: ESO.org)

Scientists from around the world have discovered an Earth-like planet orbiting the star closest to our sun. Sounds like we may not be alone in the universe!

The planet is only a bit bigger than Earth, but could boast water even with the ability to hold an ocean. While orbiting the star nearest our sun, the evidence thus far suggests that the conditions for life could exist on this planet. The remarkable find was reported in Nature on Wednesday, and is the closest Earth-like discovery to date.

Victoria Meadows of the University of Washington stated that the planet is "an absolutely amazing discovery." She also mentioned, "This will be the most accessible, closest planet in the habitable zone to our solar system."

Also from the University of Washington, Rory Barnes said, "The excitement is that it's around the closest star to our sun." He added that it's "exciting, too, to realize perhaps the next star over has a planet with life on it."

The new planet, called Proxima b, circles a small star called Proxima Centauri, according to USA Today. While the star is invisible to the naked eye, it is our nearest stellar neighbor at only 4.2 light-years away from Earth.

In order to determine if there are living organisms thriving on Proxima b, the scientists and astronomers will need to be able to take photos of the planet itself. However, no existing instrument has the capability to take such pictures.

proximab
(Photo: ESO / Artistic Rendering of Proxima b)

If you're wondering whether we could just send a couple astronauts over to the planet to take a few snaps, it's not that easy. A space mission to reach such a planet like this won't be ready until the "coming centuries," according to David Armstrong of Britain's University of Warwick.

Armstrong did confirm though that the first space mission to reach an exoplanet "will be this," referring to Proxima b.

Do you think there is a possibility of life existing beyond Earth?

[H/T USA Today]

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