Knowra Proxima Centauri b Proxima Centauri b Proxima Centauri b is an exoplanet orbiting Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to the Sun. Its minimum mass is slightly greater than Earth’s, and it orbits within the star’s habitable zone.
Breakthrough Starshot : A proposed project to send tiny, laser-propelled spacecraft to the Alpha Centauri star system. The project’s proposed destination includes Proxima Centauri b, though reaching it poses major engineering challenges.
Radial velocity method : An exoplanet detection technique that infers a planet from the periodic motion it induces in its star. Proxima Centauri b was detected through the small periodic motion it induces in its host star.
Proxima Centauri : A red dwarf star in the Alpha Centauri system and the closest known star to the Sun. It supplies the light and gravitational center around which Proxima Centauri b orbits.
Planetary habitability : The capacity of a planet to support life, shaped by its environment and the requirements of organisms. A habitable-zone orbit does not show whether Proxima Centauri b has liquid water or conditions suitable for life.
Extremely Large Telescope : A planned European observatory with a 39-meter primary mirror, designed for detailed astronomical observations. Its instruments may help characterize nearby exoplanets, including Proxima Centauri b.
Doppler spectroscopy : A technique that measures shifts in spectral lines to determine motion along the line of sight. Spectral shifts in Proxima Centauri’s light exposed the planet’s recurring gravitational tug.
Red dwarf : A small, cool, low-mass star that burns hydrogen slowly and can remain on the main sequence for very long periods. Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf, making its habitable zone close to the star.
Atmospheric biosignature : A measurable atmospheric feature that could indicate biological activity, though nonbiological processes can also produce it. Any atmospheric detection would need careful interpretation before it could count as evidence of life.
James Webb Space Telescope : A space observatory that studies the universe in infrared wavelengths. Infrared observations can constrain the atmosphere of Proxima Centauri b, though stellar activity complicates detection.
Minimum mass : The lower bound on a planet’s mass derived from radial velocity when orbital inclination is unknown. The planet’s true mass depends on its unknown orbital tilt relative to Earth.
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