Proxima Centauri b — Exoplanet Factsheet

Proxima Centauri b is a terrestrial exoplanet orbiting the red dwarf star
Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our Sun. It was discovered in August
2016 by the European Southern Observatory using the radial-velocity method.

Key parameters:
  Distance from Earth: 4.24 light-years
  Orbital period: 11.2 days
  Estimated mass: 1.17 Earth masses (minimum)
  Semi-major axis: 0.0485 AU
  Equilibrium temperature: approximately 234 K (-39 C)

The planet orbits within the habitable zone of its host star, making it one
of the most promising targets for future habitability studies. However, the
intense stellar flare activity of Proxima Centauri raises questions about
atmospheric retention and surface conditions.
