Chapter 1: Discovery of Proxima d

Recent research published in the journal Astrophysics & Astronomy has revealed the presence of a third planet orbiting the closest star to our planet. This newly identified rocky exoplanet, named Proxima d, resides in the habitable zone of Proxima Centauri.

Proxima Centauri, part of the three-star system known as Alpha Centauri, holds the title of the nearest star to Earth beyond our Sun. The first exoplanet around Proxima Centauri was detected in August 2016, followed by a second discovery in January 2020. The latest study from February 2022 confirms the existence of Proxima d as the third exoplanet in this system.

Proxima d orbits its star at a remarkably short distance, just one-tenth of Mercury's distance from the Sun. It completes an orbit in a mere five days and has a mass about one-fourth that of Earth. Despite its proximity to Proxima Centauri, Proxima d remains within the star's habitable zone, as this red dwarf star has only 12% of the Sun's mass and 14% of its diameter.

Proxima d is accompanied by two other rocky planets: Proxima b and Proxima c. Discovered in 2016, Proxima b has a mass similar to Earth and orbits its star every 11.2 days, situated just 5% of the distance from the Sun. Proxima b also falls within the habitable zone. In contrast, Proxima c is a “super-Earth,” boasting a mass six times that of Earth and an orbit that takes 5.2 years, placing it outside the habitable zone.

The detection of all three exoplanets orbiting Proxima Centauri utilized the radial velocity method, which is one of several techniques for discovering exoplanets. This method monitors slight positional shifts of a star, as the gravitational influence of orbiting planets can cause the star to exhibit a “wobble” in its motion.

The discovery of Proxima d was significantly supported by the Echelle Spectrograph for Rocky Exoplanets and Stable Spectroscopic Observations (ESPRESSO), situated on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile. This cutting-edge tool developed by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) aims to achieve high-precision radial velocity measurements of solar-type stars, facilitating the search for rocky planets. Astronomers are optimistic that ESPRESSO will aid in uncovering numerous Earth-like planets within the habitable zones of nearby stars.

Chapter 2: Video Insights

This video titled "Earth-sized Planet Found Orbiting the Sun's Nearest Neighbor" explores the recent discoveries of exoplanets around Proxima Centauri and discusses the implications of finding Earth-sized planets in habitable zones.

In "Proxima Centauri - Closest Star Has Earth-like Planet," viewers will learn about the characteristics and potential habitability of Proxima b, c, and the newly discovered Proxima d.