Research report 2016 - Max Planck Institute for Astronomy

Planet found in habitable zone around nearest star

Authors
Kürster, Martin
Departments
Planeten- und Sternentstehung
Summary
Astronomers have discovered a planet orbiting the nearest star outside our solar system, Proxima Centauri. The planet, designated Proxima Centauri b, is in the habitable zone of its star, where liquid water could exist. The discovery is the result of a patient search using the radial velocity method, which searches for tiny wobbles of a star caused by an orbiting planet. In addition to newly acquired data, the analysis uses spectra taken by MPIA astronomer Martin Kürster and colleagues between 2000 and 2007.

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