Earth-Like Planet Around Proxima Centauri Discovered
*If* true (it seems to actually be more in the “rumor/not-quite-ready-for-scientific-publication” stage… not helpful is the “anonymous sources” aspect of the story), this could be FRIGGEN’ SPECTACULAR. An Earth-like planet only 4.25 lightyears away puts another Earth within practical starship distance. Sending humans there is still a prospect for some generations down the line, but tiny laser-pushed probes could get there within the careers of people currently working in the space industry.
There are undoubtedly problems. Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf; this means that the habitable zone around the star is quite close-in. That in and of itself if not a problem, but problems do arise:
- That close to the star, the likelihood is that a planet would not be able to keep a moon.
- Without a moon, the planet is probably tidally locked to the star (one side forever faces the star, one side faces away, like the Moon being locked with Earth). This means that the habitable zone of the planet itslef it probably a ring where the star is always near the horizon.
- Proxima Centauri is kinda unstable, having some decent sized flares now and again. Wouldn’t be so bad… if the planet wasn’t so close.
But even with those issues… *IF* this turns out to be an accurate find… giggitty!