Scientists take first tentative steps to explore potential climate of Proxima B

[Eugene]

Source: Phys.org

Scientists take first tentative steps to explore potential climate of Proxima B

May 16, 2017

The quest to discover whether a planet orbiting our closest neighbouring star, Proxima Centauri (4.2 light years or 25 trillion miles from Earth), has the potential to support life has taken a new, exhilarating twist.

The planet was only discovered in August 2016, and is thought to be of similar size to Earth, creating the possibility that it could have an `Earth-like' atmosphere. Scientists from the University of Exeter have embarked on their first, tentative steps to explore the potential climate of the exoplanet, known as Proxima B.

Early studies have suggested that the planet is in the habitable zone of its star Proxima Centauri - the region where, given an Earth-like atmosphere and suitable structure, it would receive the right amount of light to sustain liquid water on its surface.

Now, the team of astrophysics and meteorology experts have undertaken new research to explore the potential climate of the planet, towards the longer term goal of revealing whether it has the potential to support life.

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Read more: https://phys.org/news/2017-05-scientists-tentative-explore-potential-climate.html

[packman]

1. And to what end?

O.K.-but, 4.2 light years away? Have we got warp drive on some spaceship?

[Warren DeMontague]

2. sure, what's the point of doing that.

What's the point of doing anything, while you're at it.

I don't know, increasing our knowledge of the universe we live in, for one? Simple curiosity?