New discovery of rocky planet
In a discovery that has been years in the making, researchers have confirmed the existence of a rocky planet named Proxima b orbiting Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our sun. It is the closest exoplanet to us in the universe.
Scientists have discovered the rocky planet moving in a zone that would make liquid water on its surface a possibility. Proxima is 40 trillion km away and would take a spacecraft using current technology thousands of years to reach.
This animated clip explains how planets outside our solar system are difficult to see because they get lost in the glare of the star they orbit.
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