New ‘lost’ planet orbiting the nearest star to our Solar System discovered
SCIENTISTS have discovered a new planet orbiting the closest star to our Solar System.
The mysterious world "Proxima c" sits just over four light-years from Earth, or about 270,000 times the distance from our planet to the Sun.
That may sound a hefty trek, but astronomers say the planet's close proximity to Earth makes it a prime candidate for future manned missions.
It also promises to aid our understanding of the wider Universe.
"The proximity of the planet means it is one of the best possible chances for direct observations that will enable detailed understanding of another planet," said Professor Hugh Jones, an astronomer at the University of Hertfordshire.
"In the future, Proxima c might become a possible target for more direct study by humankind’s first attempt to travel to another star system."
The newly found planet orbits Proxima Centauri, a "red dwarf" star – the smallest and coolest type of star – about 4.2 light-years from Earth.
Centauri is eight times smaller than the Sun and became famous in 2016 with the discovery of a planet in orbit, Proxima b, that's thought to be the nearest "Earth-like" world to our own.
Proxima c is therefore the second planet known to orbit our neighbouring star.
In other space news, an asteroid that could have caused a ‘violent sky explosion’ as powerful as 30 nukes recently zipped past Earth.
Scientists want to move the Sun and our Solar System to save Earth from killer asteroids.
And, Nasa has announced it will soon stop "hitching rides with Russia" and instead run all-American manned rocket flights starting this year.
What do you think we'll find on the new planet? Let us know in the comments...
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