Planet discovered orbiting Alpha Centauri B

[The Hammer]

Exoplanet around Alpha Centauri is nearest-ever

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19959531

Astronomers have found the nearest planet outside our Solar System, circling one of the stars of Alpha Centauri just four light-years away.

The planet has at minimum the same mass as Earth, but circles its star far closer than Mercury orbits our Sun.

It is therefore outside the "habitable zone" denoting the possibility of life, as the researchers report in Nature.

However, studies on exoplanets increasingly show that a star with one planet is likely to have several.

At the very least, the work answers the question first posed in ancient times about planets around our nearest stellar neighbours.

The closest star to the Sun is Proxima Centauri, which is believed to be part of a three-star system that includes the brighter stars Alpha Centauri A and B.

Alpha Centauri B is a "K" star somewhat cooler and less massive than the sun and Alpha Centauri A.

Proxima Centauri is a smaller "M" (red dwarf) star and there is disagreement among physicists whether it is gravitationally associated with the Alpha Centauri star system.

[Cuauhtémoc1520]

That's not true, the earth is flat and there's no such planet.

[Biolink]

I love astronomy. It is pretty amazing to believe that outside of our little box there is a whole lot more going on.

[arraamis]

Mods, please delete the other identical threads.

with all the threads on this topic -- I was thinking that this news REALLY got you excited.

[Mike Tyson77]

I love astronomy. It is pretty amazing to believe that outside of our little box there is a whole lot more going on.

Alot more than youd think. . .

[arraamis]

There are trillions and trillions of planets in the universe.

Although it's unlikely that many of those planets support intelligent life, because of the vast size of the universe there must be other civilizations out there somewhere, perhaps some far more advanced than we are.

So tru ....

Here's a question that has always confused me about the reality of the universe and space.

If the Universe has boundaries, {finite dimensions} what is beyond those borders and what is supporting the universe. This is something that I have never heard any established astronomer explain, even though they all concur with the fact that space does have borders or an end.

[deliveryman]

There are trillions and trillions of planets in the universe.

Although it's unlikely that many of those planets support intelligent life, because of the vast size of the universe there must be other civilizations out there somewhere, perhaps some far more advanced than we are.

If all the stars in the universe were evenly distributed to everyone on Earth, each person would own about 20 trillion stars.

Let alone planets... Mind boggling really.

[Sweet Pea 50]

If all the stars in the universe were evenly distributed to everyone on Earth, each person would own about 20 trillion stars.

Let alone planets... Mind boggling really.

Wow............

[paulf]

[Bretty Poy32]

fuk the world...