Posted on 10/06/2016 12:26:27 PM PDT by LibWhacker
An artist's impression of the planet Proxima b, orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, released by the European Southern Observatory on August 24, 2016
A rocky planet discovered in the "habitable" zone of the star nearest our Sun may be covered with oceans, researchers at France's CNRS research institute said Thursday.
A team including CNRS astrophysicists have calculated the size and surface properties of the planet dubbed Proxima b, and concluded it may be an "ocean planet" similar to Earth.
Scientists announced Proxima b's discovery in August, and said it may be the first exoplanet—planet outside our Solar System—to one day be visited by robots from Earth.
The planet orbits within a "temperate" zone from its host star Proxima Centauri, some four light years from us.
It is estimated to have a mass about 1.3 times that of Earth, and orbits about 7.5 million kilometres (4.6 million miles) from its star—about a tenth the distance of innermost planet Mercury from the Sun.
"Contrary to what one might expect, such proximity does not necessarily mean that Proxima b's surface is too hot" for water to exist in liquid form, said a CNRS statement.
Proxima Centauri is smaller and 1,000 times weaker than our Sun, which means Proxima b is at exactly the right distance for conditions to be potentially habitable.
"The planet may very well host liquid water on its surface, and therefore also some forms of life," the statement said.
Discovery of an exoplanet near Earth
The size of exoplanets are generally calculated by measuring how much light they block out, from Earth's perspective, when they pass in front of their host star.
But no such transit of Proxima b has yet been observed, so the team had to rely on simulations to estimate the planet's composition and radius.
They calculated the radius was between 0.94 and 1.4 times that of Earth, which is 6,371 kilometres on average.
Assuming a minimum radius of 5,990 km, the planet would be very dense, with a metallic core making up two-thirds of the entire planet's mass, surrounded by a rocky mantle.
If there is surface water, it would not contribute more than 0.05 percent to the planet's total mass, the team said—similar to Earth, where it is about 0.02 percent.
In the larger planet scenario, with a radius of 8,920 km, Proxima b's mass would be split 50-50 between a rocky centre and surrounding water.
"In this case, Proxima b would be covered by a single, liquid ocean 200 km deep," said the CNRS.
"In both cases, a thin, gassy atmosphere could surround the planet, like on Earth, rendering Proxima b potentially habitable," it concluded.
Explore further: Proxima b could be a life-friendly planet, says one of the co-discoverers
Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-10-planet-star-nearest-sun-oceans.html#jCp
Veeeery interesting... BUT, knowing all this, are you willing to spend perhaps upwards of one hundred billion taxpayer dollars to TRY, only try, to shoot a walnut-sized robot spacecraft zipping past this planet at 0.10c to capture some scientific data and take a few thousand pictures - 40 years hence?
Man, the inferences made on so little information is staggering.
I’ve been there. Think “Venus”. All of our bases are underground. It’s a very good strategic location, otherwise we’d not even be there.
It orbits its primary every 11.2 days!? That sucker is laying down some serious laps!
At Warp 1 it will take more than 4 years to get there.
I would. Hard science is a great investment. Better to spend the money on scientific advancement that all the crap that the Demonrats of waste it on
40 years hence?
THey now know our solar system is much much much bigger than they originally thought. These discoveries were made in the 90s and I binge watched that wonder ful series about the Universe this past weekend.
I have terrible memory but one particular probe US sent out on the ‘77 (I think) is still sending back signals although oh my that technology is ancient!
Still sending back signals. I am from the Apollo generation I was 7 in 1969 when we landed on the moon. This stuff just draws me! Thanks for your opinion LibWhacker.
And no matter how much water they may find only one Being can bring life. Speech not forthcoming....LOL
‘Proxima b.’
God’s, ‘Plan B’ for us, once we destroy Erf? ;)
It must already be inhabited by Liberals because a week on Earth feels like a week and a HALF on Proxima b!
I also like how they stated the picture was an ‘artist’s rendering’ just in case anyone thought it was a Photo Shopped REAL picture from space, or something. *Rolleyes*
But MOST importantly, what’s the gravitational pull? Will I weigh LESS if I move there? ;)
Then again, it may not.
That close to its sun the planet is probably tidally locked and thus not rotating. If there were water on the planet (which is not known), and if it has an atmosphere (which is not known), and if solar flares have not destroy the atmosphere and water on the planet (which is not known), the frigid temperatures on the back side of the planet would have frozen out the water long ago.
But, hey, if this news story can win some more funding for France’s CNRS research institute, that’s what counts.
Why are all the planets everywhere round? Not oblong, not square, not triangular, but round?
..at a maximum velocity of 56,000 km/h, Deep Space 1 would take over 81,000 years to traverse the 4.24 light years between Earth and Proxima Centauri. To put that time-scale into perspective, that would be over 2,700 human generations. Source
81,000 years? We better get on the ball then!
It was tidally locked. That is the first thing we fixed. It was the only way we could even consider making it a way-point for our crews headed to Earth and Titan.
Its star is a tenth the size of our sun. A 12 day year. With 100x X-rays and UV would there be any atmosphere or liquid left? or any carbon based life?
Yes, correct.
Yes. Tidally locked in a tail spin. I bet the seismic activity is exhilarating.
Voyager?
Gravitational force. A sphere minimizes the ratio of the surface area to the volume.
Most planets (earth, included) are slightly oblong due to other planets, moons, suns, etc acting upon the planet.
Well, we had to wait it out. Even with the interdimensional dampers, it was a bit of a bumpy ride for a couple of centuries.
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