In today’s world, advancements in technology enable us to explore deep space like never before. Scientists are driven by the question of whether there is an alternative planet nearby that could ensure humanity’s survival if Earth becomes uninhabitable. Focusing our attention on Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system, the planet Proxima B is considered the new super-Earth that could potentially provide a new home for humans.
Proxima B is the closest known exoplanet to Earth and is situated in the triple star system Alpha Centauria, which lies about 4.37 light-years away from Earth. The planet was discovered in August 2016, using the radial-velocity method, and is probably an Earth-like exoplanet. Proxima B orbits its star proxima Centauri at a distance of about 4.37 light-years from Earth, which is extremely close, but could still be habitable since the star only has about 10% of the luminosity of our sun.
To support life, a planet must be neither too hot nor too cold for liquid water to form oceans, which is necessary for sustaining life. The exciting news is that Proxima B gets a total of around 60% light radiation from its star compared to our sun, fulfilling the basic requirements for a habitable planet. This means that organic life-forms could potentially exist there.
To understand more about the Alpha Centauri system, it’s important to know that it’s closer to our sun than any other star, and it’s moving towards Earth within the Milky Way. The system consists of three stars: Alpha Centauri A and B, which are approximately five billion years old, and Alpha Centauri C, also called Proxima Centauri, which is the closest to Earth. Proxima Centauri, a red dwarf compared to our sun, has only about 12% of the solar mass, and, with about 37 degrees Fahrenheit, also boasts a relatively cool surface temperature.
Researchers first explored the two brightly shining stars A and B only then turned telescopes to the very faint Red Dwarf Proxima Centauri and made an astonishing discovery. It became evident that the mini sun, unlike its two larger companions, must be orbited by at least one exoplanet. With the radial velocity method, scientists can precisely analyze the light spectrum of a star from Earth, and after the analysis, it was clear that Proxima Centauri has at least one exoplanet named Proxima B.
In 2019, researchers discovered more exoplanets orbiting the Red Dwarf Proxima Centauri, including Proxima C, which has about seven Earth masses but is not particularly dense, making it absolutely uninhabitable for organic life forms. The system’s third exoplanet, Proxima D, has at least twice the size of Mars, orbiting its star in less than five days, and although it’s rocky, it’s likely too close to its star to make organic life possible.
Despite these discoveries, scientists’ hopes remain focused on Proxima B. To determine whether it’s habitable, a few more requirements need to be met. Only time will tell if humanity’s next destination lies within the Alpha Centauri system, on Proxima B, the potentially habitable planet. Exciting discoveries like these keep pushing us further into the unknown world of space exploration, making us dream about the infinite possibilities that lie ahead.
