This artist’s concept shows the Proxima Centauri system, including the roughly Earth-sized planet Proxima b and the super-Earth planet Proxima c . According to new research, Proxima c has a minimum mass of about 6 Earth masses, and it orbits its red dwarf host star once every 5.2 years. Our nearest celestial neighbor, the star Proxima Centauri, likely has a second planet.
The planet, dubbed Proxima c, is at least about 6 times the mass of Earth and orbits its tiny red dwarf host once every 5.2 years. If confirmed, the newly discovered super-Earth would be the second terrestrial world found in the Proxima Centauri system, which is located just 4.2 light-years from Earth.
According to the researchers, the discovery of Proxima c could provide insights into how low-mass planets around low-mass stars form, especially when the planets begin their lives well beyond a star’s “snow line,” where water turns to solid ice.The star Proxima Centauri has long captivated the astronomical community.
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